The Hero Returns To Hyrule
by Tint
Summary: Link returns to Hyrule and finds the land destroyed. An unholy alliance forms between Zelda and Ganondorf. And Link has fallen in love with Malon. Malon continues the quest, unaware that Link is dead. Chapter 13 is here.
1. The Day Link Returns

The Hero Returns To Hyrule  
  
A/N: This is my very first fic that I've ever written, so please take that into account when reading.  
  
I may have made this fic a little violent, but hopefully that doesn't discourage you from reading.  
I was wondering whatever happened to the Link from N64. It may be explained in the new game coming out, but here is my guess. It is unknown whether Link returned to Hyrule or stayed in Termina. According to Windwaker, Hyrule was destroyed because the hero did not return. I'm throwing this all out the window and starting with my own take. I hope you enjoy and please review.  
  
I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANYTHING RELATED TO IT!  
  
(--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------) CHAPTER 1: The Day Link Returns  
  
The people of Clock Town held a parade the day following the defeat of Majora's Mask. Few of the people actually knew the reason behind the moon being sent back into the sky, all they knew was that the mysterious boy was a hero.  
The boy rode his small brown horse at the end of the parade group. He didn't like having this much attention being paid to him. The boy pulled his green cap over his eyes as they stared sullenly at the ground. Cheers sounded on either side of him as he passed.  
Some people ran up to the boy and begged for his autograph. The boy half-heartedly scribbled the word "Link" and carried on. All he could think about was Hyrule and his friends back home. Sure he liked Termina, but Hyrule was his home. He wanted to go home.  
The parade slowly made its way into South Clock Town, right in front of the clock. A faint sound of music crept from the heavy oak doors as the boy rode past them. His ears pricked up at the sound of the music. "Could it be?" He silently asked himself as he stopped before the door. He shook his head as the parade pushed him forward.  
  
Later that night, the boy in green was having difficulty sleeping. The music from the clock doors kept him thinking. He had enough. He needed to clear something from his thoughts.  
The boy picked up his sword, bow, ocarina, and his shield before creeping out the door. He looked both ways down the hallways of the inn. Everything was silent. The boy sneaked along the hall and out the door onto the roof. There, he waited to make sure nobody had followed him.  
Once sure that he was unnoticed, the boy let out a faint whistle. The sound of hoof beats approaches as the boy's horse appears. The boy hopped off the building onto the horse's back. With a faint whisper from the boy the horse trots off towards the clock tower.  
  
The boy had an odd feeling that he was being watched. He scanned the rooftops around him, searching for an enemy. He watches as a shadow ducks to avoid being spotted. The boy pulls out his bow and fits an arrow to the string. He pretends not to notice as the shadow reappears and makes its way towards the edge of the building that it stood upon. The boy turned and fired his arrow at the shadow.

Two fire blades burned in the night, deflecting the arrow aside. The shadow disappeared into the air. Suddenly, the boy was knocked from his horse. He was sent flying into one of the buildings. The boy picked himself off the ground and managed to role aside as the shadow with fire swords bounced towards him. The boy knew exactly what this was. It was the Garo Master, returned for revenge.

He quickly drew his own sword as the Garo Master charged him. This time the boy managed to jump aside and take a swing at the creature. Once again it disappeared only to reappear directly above him. This time he was ready. The boy quickly loaded an arrow and shot directly upwards. He stepped aside as the Garo Master fell to the ground. The Garo Master pulled the arrow out of his mask and glared at the boy. Fire burned in his eyes matching the swords that he held.

The Garo Master bounced to the side strafing the boy. Then he started his charge and immediately disappeared. The boy turned to face where the creature would reappear, but was greeted with a blow to his spine. The boy cried out in pain as he fell to the ground. He rolled face up to face the Garo Master. The creature stood above the boy and prepared to deliver a finishing blow. The boy in green looked around desperately to find some way out. Then he spotted it.

The Garo Master plunged his swords deep into the ground where the boy once lay. He looked around to find the boy. Suddenly, the Garo Master could feel the boy's sword buried deep into his back. The creature collapsed to the ground with a shriek of agony as the boy pulled out his sword. The boy nodded to the little children on the rooftop that held the rope that pulled him to safety.  
  
In the silence of the night, the music echoed from the tower. He was sure of it. This song was the one thing that truly reminded him of home. The beautiful melody of "Saria's Song" lured the boy towards the doors of the tower. The boy pulled out his ocarina and played the song that his friend, Saria, taught him so long ago.  
The heavy doors opened, revealing not the interior of the tower, but the mystic Chamber of Sages. A deep feeling of foreboding filled the boy as he and his horse entered the Chamber. Something had to have gone seriously wrong for the Sages to be here.  
Six were present. Saria of the forest, Darunia of fire, Ruto of water, Impa of shadows, Nabouru of spirit, and Rauru of light. The only one missing was Zelda. The boy rode his horse into the center of the chamber and dismounted.  
A bright flash of light filled the Chamber. The boy immediately knew what had happened. He looked down at his arms, now much longer and stronger than before. Then he looked his horse, which had grown into a magnificent beast. He faced Rauru and stated "the Hero of Time is needed again."  
Rauru and the other sages nodded their heads. "We regret to inform you that Ganondorf broke out of our seal. He once again has conquered the land of Hyrule and is searching for the Triforce. Princess Zelda has been hidden away so that she will not be captured." Rauru explains.  
Saria continues the explanation, "After you defeated Ganondorf and Ganon, we placed him under a magical seal. You returned the Master Sword to it's pedestal in the Temple of Light, thus sending you back seven years in time. Your companion, Navi, left and you went on a search for her. You ended up in Termina."  
Darunia, "Each time you played the "Song of Time" you sent Termina back three days in time, but Hyrule continued on its normal timeline. Eight years have passed in Hyrule since the day you left. During the first seven years everything was peaceful."  
Ruto, "On the exact date that you had defeated Ganon using the Master Sword, the evil king Ganondorf returned. We are not sure how and we were unaware of his presence until it was to late. He already had overthrown the king and ruled the land with an iron fist of fear."  
Impa, "Knowing that you were not present, Ganondorf took the opportunity to destroy the Master Sword. He sent the pieces to his six temples throughout Hyrule and left his strongest minions guarding the pieces."  
Nabouru, "You need to retrieve the shards and forge the Master Sword anew. Now go, mount Epona. Two of your friends are waiting for you at Lon Lon Ranch. Somehow, the ranch has yet to be disturbed by the evils of Ganondorf."  
All sages together, "Go, Link, Hero of Time! Save Hyrule from Ganondorf!"  
Link climbed onto the back of Epona. A smile crept across his face as the white flash filled the chamber again. Link was going home.  
  
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A/N: So what did you all think? Is it any good? Does it need to be longer? Do you want me to continue? Please Review.


	2. Reunion

The Hero Returns To Hyrule  
  
A/N: This is my very first fic that I've ever written, so please take that into account when reading.  
I went back to Chapter 1 and added a fight sequence about halfway through. I thought that it needed some length added and that it lacked excitement. Thanks go out to those who read my story and gave me feedback.  
  
To make sure that everything is accurate, I am sitting here with a Gamecube playing Ocarina of Time: Master Quest. I also have the N64 with both Majora's Mask and the original OoT sitting nearby. Enjoy!  
  
I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA OR ANY THING RELATED TO IT!  
  
(--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------) Chapter 2: Reunion  
  
Link found himself and Epona overlooking the beautiful waters of Lake Hylia. Link looked around. On the shore stood the entrance to the fishing pond. On the mainland was the large building that served as the Lakeside Laboratory. Link looked behind him at the large tree on the island. This was home.  
Link rode Epona across the bridges to the mainland. Once there, Epona broke out into a run down the path towards Hyrule Field. The small fences separating the lake and the field appeared around the corner. Epona cleared these jumps with ease. The midday sun shined brightly upon Link's back as he headed towards the ranch.  
The air smelled evil. Link could sense evil's presence everywhere he went. The field was littered with Re-Dead, Like-Likes, Poes, and Stalchilds. Link couldn't be bothered with destroying all of them. As he rode past, Link destroyed a couple using his sword. As he neared the gates of Lon Lon Ranch he noticed that they were closed.  
Link got Epona to back up a few paces before taking a running jump over the gates. The sages were right; the ranch had yet to be touched by the evils outside. People from all over Hyrule had set up a camp inside of the ranch. As Link rode through the crowd, the people appeared to gain some sort of hope. Although few knew about Link's heroics, the sight of an armed hero gave them something to look forward to.  
Some of the people gathered recognized Link and greeted him with cheers. The Zoras, Gorons, and Kokiri were also present. Link looked around and finally spotted Malon out in the center of the field. He and Epona made their way towards her. A/N: Even though it is said that the Kokiri cannot leave the forest; they are present at the celebration at the end of Ocarina of Time. So I decided that it would be safe to have them gathered at Lon Lon ranch.  
Link dismounted from Epona and walked up to Malon. Malon reacted with surprise as Link tapped her shoulder. She jumped and nearly hit Link before recognizing who he was. Tears ran from her eyes as she embraced Link in a giant hug. "I didn't believe it when the sages told me you were coming to save us. But, now you're here." Malon whispered as she planted a soft kiss on Links cheek.  
Link was somewhat confused with Malon's reaction. He just stood there silently as Malon hugged him. After a while he raised his arms and hugged her back. "Hey! Watch it, Link!" A familiar voice sounded from Malon's shoulder.  
Link was startled and took a few steps back. The voice belonged to someone from his childhood. As he stood watching Malon, a small blue fairy appeared on Malon's shoulder. "Miss me?" she joked.  
"Navi!" Link cried out in surprise. He had thought that Navi had long ago left and he would never see her again. And there she was, right in front of him.  
"My, how you've grown over these last eight years! My cousin, Tatl, must have taken good care of you." Navi said with a smirk.  
"Not only has he grown, but now he's really good looking." Malon said.  
Link blushed. He had been told that plenty of times before, but it never came easy to him. He needed to say something to change the topic. "Why did the sages want me to come here?" He asked trying not to sound pathetic.  
"First of all, Link. I get to be your partner again!" Navi exclaimed, very excited.  
"Second of all, we need to tell you that the temples are not the same ones that you are used to. Ganondorf destroyed those temples within a week of becoming the Dark King." Malon explained.  
Link groaned at the news. He had been hoping that this quest would be easy if the temples were the same. Now he had to find six new temples with probably new bosses. "Which one should I go to first?" He asked, before something dawned upon him. "How did you know that I've been to the temples before?"  
Malon chuckled, "Navi has been telling me stories about you being the Hero of Time. As for going to a temple, you should go ask the new Deku Tree. He should still be safe from the monsters that invaded the Lost Woods. He is growing inside of the remains of the old Deku Tree."  
"Let's get going, Link!" Navi called out as she settled herself on Link's shoulder.  
Link pulled out his ocarina and played "Minuet of Forest". He and Navi disappeared leaving Malon behind. "Good luck," She whispered as she blew a kiss towards the sky.  
  
(--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------)  
  
A/N: One more chapter down. I hope nobody minds if I make Malon have a crush on Link or if I brought back Navi. I decided to make it so Link knows all of the songs that he learned in both games. Please review. 


	3. The Deku Tree Sprout

The Hero Returns To Hyrule  
  
A/N: This is my very first fic that I've ever written, so please take that into account when reading.  
Sorry for the wait everyone. My computer had some trouble with a few dozen Trojans. It's all better now. I've updated all the chapters that I've done in the meantime. Enjoy.  
This chapter may be considered a little more violent than the rating suggests. The point of the violence stated here within is to show the pure evilness of Ganondorf. Don't complain because you've been forewarned!  
  
(--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------) Chapter 3: The Deku Tree Sprout  
  
Link's feet hang in mid-air for a few seconds before touching the ground. He looks around at the clearing in front of the old Forest Temple. The transportation platform is practically destroyed. Trees are collapsed every which way. Link stares in horror at the sight of the former temple. A huge crater is all that is left.  
"Ganondorf got stronger." Link whispers as he heads down the long staircase. He smiles in satisfaction when he doesn't see any monsters. The smile quickly turns into a frown when he rounds the corner of the maze.  
  
Link is now face to skulls with a pair of evil Stalfos. He quickly ducks as the first Stalfos does a jump attack. Then he rolls aside as the second Stalfos swings at Links head. He tries to draw his sword, but recoils in pain as the first Stalfos' blade connects with Links right arm.  
He clutches his arm attempting to stop the bleeding. The Stalfos smell a kill coming and corner off Link. They raise their swords as they close in on the defenseless hero. Link stumbles a few steps away from the advancing skeletal creatures, his hands searching the walls for anything to use. His smile returns as he grabs hold of a familiar round object.  
If the Stalfos were human, fear would show in their empty eye sockets. Link chuckles as he shows the flickering bomb flower. The Stalfos hesitate for a few seconds giving Link enough time to hurl the glowing bomb. "Link, cover your eyes!" Navi calls out as shards of bone are sent every direction from the explosion.  
Smoke covers the labyrinth. Link doesn't wait for the smoke to clear before charging towards where the Stalfos were. A shape forms in the smoke. Link puts his shield against his shoulder as he rams into the skeletal mass. Both Stalfos now lie destroyed at the feet of Link.  
  
Half an hour passes as Link makes his way through the maze that is the Lost Woods. His arm has healed nicely and Link tries a few sword swings to make sure. Link is about to step through another log entrance when Navi calls out to him. "Link! You should take a look at this." A hint of horror sounding in her voice.  
Link's eyes turn to see what Navi is yelling about. A gasp escapes his lips as he overlooks the small clearing where he once played his ocarina for a couple of Skull Kids. The sight almost makes Link throw up. Body parts are strewn across the grass while the trees are covered in markings made with blood.  
On the small target is a message from the Dark King himself. "Link, you're next!" Navi whispers, reading the message. She turns to Link, ready to say something, but stops when she sees the look on Link's face.  
A sole tear rolls down his cheek as he overlooks the sight. A burning anger consumes him to his soul. He lets out a yell of anguish that disturbs the birds from the trees.  
Navi distances herself from Link. She hasn't seen him this upset since Kakiriko Village had been burnt to the ground. "Come Link. We should find the Deku Tree Sprout. He may be able to help us."  
Link silently nods his head. "They were no more than children. They did nothing to deserve this horrendous fate." Links mutters as he follows Navi out of the Lost Woods.  
Navi flies slightly ahead of Link, but suddenly stops. "Oh no..." she whispers as she flies onto the cliff overlooking the Kokiri settlement. If the sight of the mutilated Skull Kids disturbed Link, this sight would send him over the edge.  
All that is left of the Kokiri town is ashes. Charred bones lie scattered throughout the ruins of the once prosperous haven. Even the small river is stained bred from the blood. Navi turns when she hears Link walk up behind her. Link is still back far enough not to be able to see the burnt village.  
Navi quickly flies over to Link. "Don't look!" she cries out as Link walks out onto the platform. But, she's too late. Link just stares out across the wreckage that once was his home. Silently, he makes his way down into the ashes. Navi follows behind, somewhat uncertain about Links condition.  
"You ok?" she asks hesitantly.  
"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M OK?" Link snaps at Navi, causing Navi to recoil in shock. "I'm sorry, Navi. I didn't mean to yell at you. You're not the one to be angry at."  
"I understand. It must be hard for you to deal with all of this." Navi consoles the hero.  
Link nods, before heading towards the path to the Deku Tree's resting grounds. "You'll pay for this, Ganondorf!" Link whispers as he crosses the blood stained river.  
  
"Is nothing sacred to that foul monster!" Navi exclaims as she and Link overlook the next of Ganondorf's treacheries.  
"He wants to make me angry. He must want to die this time." Link adds solemnly.  
Before the hero and his guide is the Deku Tree. At least, what is left of the Deku Tree. What once was a towering giant is now a stump. The Great Deku Tree had been cut cleanly above the gaping mouth that served as the entrance. Skulltulas climb over the rotting carcass of the once proud forest deity.  
Link pulls out his bow and shoots a couple of the disgusting spider creatures. For every Skulltula Link destroys, at least four more climb out of the tree. Link puts his bow away and pulls out his sword. The Hero of Time swallows nervously as he approaches the mouth of the giant stump. With one last glance around he enters into the darkness.  
Guided by Navi's glow, Link makes his way into the large room. He looks up to see the ceiling only a few feet above his head. A lone torch burns brightly in the corner of the room. Before Link, a familiar spider web covers the gaping hole into the roots of the Deku Tree. Off to one side is a Deku stick.  
"Easy." Link says as he picks up the stick and proceeds over to the torch. He is about to light the tip of the stick aflame when suddenly a Keese flies through the flame, transferring the flames to its body. Then, the Keese flies up to the ceiling, where it perches upon a small branch protruding from the wall.  
Link pulls out his bow and fits an arrow to the string. He takes careful aim at the Keese before letting the arrow fly. The Keese lets out a shriek as the arrow strike it causing the creature to fall onto the web. Both Keese and web disappear in flames.  
Navi flies over to the hole and looks in. "There's water down there Link and it looks deep enough for you to dive..." She trails off as Link jumps past her. She shakes her head in disbelief as she follows the hero. Instead of stopping at the first basement floor like it used to, the hole now continues to the second basement.  
Links head appears above the surface of the water. Seeing nothing dangerous around he swims to the shore. Ahead of him is the door that leads into the boss chamber. Iron bars cover it. Another torch is aflame to the right of the door. Link looks around to find a second torch, but doesn't see one. The only thing that catches his eye is a mirror. Link takes a look at the mirror and spots the image of the unlit torch back on the main floor.  
Link groans at the thought of having to climb all the way back up to the main level. Then an ideal forms in his head. Link fits another arrow to his bow and walks behind the torch. He then lines up the mirror with the torch in his sights and shoots the arrow. Navi watches the arrow catch fire as it passes through the torch and continues to the mirror. She watches in disbelief as the arrow strikes the mirror and bounces back straight at Link.  
Link quickly throws up his shield in defense. He listens as the arrow bounces off his shield. Navi is staring at the roof in amazement. Link follows her gaze and chuckles at the sight. Hanging from the roof is a torch that burns brightly. Imbedded into the torch is Link's arrow. 'I meant to do that!" Link gloats.  
"Sure you did." Navi says sarcastically as she and Link head over to the now open door.  
  
Link and Navi carefully make their way into the chamber. They both look around in hopes they don't fin some sort of evil creature. "No need to worry. This chamber is safe from evils presence." A voice sounds from within the chamber.  
Link makes his way towards the voice. "Down here." The voice calls. Link stops and looks down at where the voice came from. At his feet is a small flower protruding from the ground. He leans closer to get a better look. Suddenly, the Deku Tree Sprout pops out of the ground causing Link to jump back in surprise.  
The Deku Tree Sprout looks the exact same as the one from when Link went seven years into the future. "Hi, Mr. Hero! The Sages told me that you'd be here soon. They wanted me to tell you about the temples before I let you into the Forest Temple.  
Ganondorf needed new temples to hide the shards of the legendary Master Sword in. He didn't want to use the current temples because they were guarded by the Sages. So he had this wild ideal to destroy the current temples and create six new temples that are held in limbo in the Sacred Realm. But, one thing happened that he hadn't expected.  
Once he destroyed the old temples, the Sages were held in captivity inside the Chamber of Sages. But, once the new elemental temples were created, the Sages gained some power over these new temples that corresponded with their element. Ganondorf had made the temples impregnable, allowing only himself and his creatures into the temples.  
Unknown to him, each temple has a hidden entry point somewhere in Hyrule. These entrances were created by the Sages and left in the protection of Hyrule's safest areas. Saria entrusted me to guard the entrance to the Forest Temple. Now that you're here, I can finally let you in! Do you understand all of this?" The Deku Tree Sprout awaits Link's answer.  
Link nods in reply. The Deku Tree Sprout hums a short tune, which Link recognizes as the Minuet of Forest only with a few extra notes added on to the end. A small blue circle is traced out on the floor surrounding Link. Once the circle is complete a bright flash illuminates the chamber. Link and Navi are gone. (--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------)  
  
A/N: And thus ends the third chapter of The Hero Returns To Hyrule. What do you think? I hope that I didn't upset anyone too much with anything in this chapter. Temple time coming up next! Thanks for reading and please review. 


	4. Forest Temple: Part 1

The Hero Returns To Hyrule  
  
A/N: This is my very first fic that I've ever written, so please take that into account when reading.  
This is the first chapter to describe Link's quest within the Forest Temple. There are two parts, the first (this one) deals with the rooms, puzzles, and monsters leading up to the boss chamber. Part two (which should be updated within the week) is the boss fight.  
As for classifying this story, it is only consider it action/adventure/drama because I can only use two categories. I officially proclaim that I consider this story an action/adventure/drama/humor/romance. The humor and romance parts will become more evident later on in the story.  
I'm going to try and set a minimum chapter length at around 1500 words. My past chapters averaged around 1500, so that's why I've set this min. limit. My guess is that each chapter hereafter will range well above 1500. Enjoy!  
  
(--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------) Chapter 4: Forest Temple  
  
A pack of Wolfos howl in the distance. An owl hoots as a wind carries through the forest. A full moon illuminates the ground as a blue circle appears at the base of a tree. From out of the ground, Link rises to face his next challenge. Navi appears from inside of his hood.  
The hero looks around at his surroundings. This forest based temple doesn't look like any of the forest dungeons he's faced in the past. The temple is not in the form of a castle or a swamp, or even a tree. This temple has a unique feeling to Link as he walks out from under the tree.  
This Forest Temple is not a bunch of rooms, for it is actually a forest. Link looks about, uncertain over which direction to head. Every direction looks the same as the others. A noise from behind him causes Link to take cover behind a nearby tree.  
Link watches in surprise as a fully armed Stalchild marches past. The Stalchild is wearing a suit of armor with the Triforce clearly marked on it. In each hand it carries a dagger. The Stalchild proceeds along a somewhat beaten path towards the North.  
Link waits until the Stalchild is out of sight before commenting to Navi, "Why would Ganondorf equip his army with the symbol of the Royal Family?"  
"I have no idea." Navi remarks, "Maybe he thought it was appropriate that since he is the new King that he uses the King's symbol. Plus he always has been addicted to the poser of the Triforce."  
"Makes sense." Link says as he follows the Stalchild's path.  
After a few minutes of tracking the Stalchild Link notices a light in the distance. He carefully approaches and finds a clearing with a fire in the center. Sitting around the fire is the Stalchild that Link followed as well as two others. A small treasure chest rests beside a cage. Inside of the cage is a monkey, similar to the ones found in the swamps of Woodfall in Termina.  
"We should help the little guy. He may be able to help us somehow." Navi suggests.  
Link nods as he unsheathes his sword. The hero then proceeds to stealthily make his way around the fire undetected. Link crouches against the bars of the cage as he watches the Stalchilds' actions. He takes careful notice of where the weak points are in their armor as well as the places where their bones lay uncovered.  
The monkey notices Link beside him and is about to say something. Link notices this and quickly reaches into the cage, covering the monkey's mouth. In the rush to silence the monkey, Link accidentally brushed his shield against the bars of the cage. The hero curses as the Stalchilds react to the noise. Spotting Link, they charge into battle.  
Link acts quickly, parrying the blows of the lead Stalchild. He makes a short side jump to dodge the second charging skeletal creature. Link needs to make a couple of back flips to avoid the third Stalchild who had anticipated Link's dodging attempt. Link immediately ducks after his third back flip in order to dodge the first enemy.  
Eyes shift left and right as Link watches the movements of the two Stalchilds in front of him. Using the blade of his sword, Link keeps an eye on the one behind him. The Stalchilds look at each other and give short muttering orders to their comrades. Link smirks as he watches the one behind him giving some sort of count. Upon a given signal all three charge Link at once.  
Link pulls his sword to his side and concentrates his energy into it. He can feel a glow emitting from the blade as he channels his magical energy into it. Link watches as the Stalchilds get within a few steps of him before releasing his mighty spin attack. As he spins, Link notes that each Stalchild was caught off guard by his actions. The sword connects with each Stalchild, cleanly severing their skulls from their bone shoulders.  
The hero stops his spin as the bodies fall to the ground. Link faces the treasure chest and attempts to make his way towards it. Instead, he is a little disoriented from the spinning and stumbles off into a tree. Navi giggles as the hero falls on his rear after his head connects with the sturdy tree.  
Link rubs his head as he gets back on his feet. This time he makes no error getting to the treasure chest. He opens up the small box and picks up the small silver key that lies inside. Link then proceeds to put the key in the lock of the cage. After a few turns, a soft click sounds and the door swings open. The monkey gleefully hops out of its confinement.  
"Thank you for rescuing me, Mr.!" The monkey chatters, "Please save my friends. We were captured by Ganondorf and taken from our home. There are five of us in total. Please free them and we will show you how to get to the boss." With this the monkey climbs up a nearby tree and disappears into the darkness.  
"Do you think we can trust them?" Navi asks somewhat concerned about the monkey's allegiance.  
"Of course we can trust the monkey. Ganondorf honestly must not trust him or he wouldn't have locked him up. Plus, we have no other way of getting to the boss." Link reasons.  
Link looks around the clearing and notices the glint of metal from a stack of crates. Link walks over to the crates and pushes them aside. Lying on the ground is a compass. The hero picks up the device and pockets it. He then proceeds to continue along the Northward path.  
The path takes a couple of twist and turns before it abruptly ends at the bank of a stream. Link looks across the water, noting that it is too far to jump across. He grabs a stone and tosses it into the water. Hissing and bubbling the water melts the rock into I pile of molten sludge. "Swimming is a no." Navi comments.  
"We must need something in order to get across. We should head back to the clearing and find another path. It isn't far back." Link says as he turns and retraces his steps.  
  
"It isn't far back," Navi says sarcastically.  
Nearly an hour has passed since Link and Navi came across the stream. They have yet to come across the clearing where they found the monkey and compass. The walk from the clearing to the stream had taken only a few minutes. "Something isn't right here." Link says as he stops his trek.  
The hero turns around and takes a few steps in the general direction of the stream. After a dozen steps he finds himself back at the stream. "This forest must have some sort of curse placed on it." Navi says as she floats around looking at the nearby trees.  
"Thank you very much Captain Obvious!" Link mutters as he rests against a tree.  
'What's your problem?" Navi asks as he rests on Links shoulder. 'You've become so moody since the last time we save Hyrule. What is it that has you so upset this time?"  
Link sighs, "It's just that I'm tired of adventuring. Twice, I've had to skip my adolescence and become the hero. I feel like this is my only purpose in life, when I feel like I'm destined for something more."  
Navi nods her head in agreement, "I know it must be hard for you. How about we call this our grand finale?"  
"You mean retire? Settle down, get married, have kids. I think I'd like that." Link says as a smile creeps across his face.  
"Then it's settled! We call it quits after we defeat Ganondorf. Just one problem, though, how do we get out of here?"  
As if in response of Navi's question a beep sounds from Link's pocket. The hero pulls out the compass and stares at it. A big flashing arrow points downstream. "Think we should follow it?" Link asks.  
"Got nothing to lose." Navi says as she flutters off Link's shoulder.  
The hero grabs hold of an overhanging branch and pulls himself to his feet. He then follows the direction of the arrow and treks along the bank of the stream. Sure enough, within moments a flame can be seen in the distance.  
There is a clearing surrounding the illuminated torch. A Wolfos lies sleeping at the base of the torch. Link notices a switch, a small box, and a small target across the stream. The Wolfos stirs when Link steps on a stick as he enters the clearing. The Wolfos spots the hero and lets a haunting howl into the night sky. As if in reply, a second howl sounds from another Wolfos as it enters the clearing.  
Link focuses on the newly arrived Wolfos as it encircles him. The other Wolfos crouches as it prepares to leap. Link glances to his side at the crouching Wolfos, letting down his guard. The Wolfos that circled Link takes a sweeping claw at Link's legs. Link is knocked to the ground by the blow, losing hold of his sword. Link's breath is knocked out of him as the other Wolfos pounces on his chest.  
Link stares into the gleaming eyes of the crazed beast. Drool drips from the Wolfos mouth as it howls in triumph. Link sees an opening and strikes out with his right hand. The Wolfos collapses on Link as it loses consciousness from the strike. The other creature, seeing his partner defeated, beats a hasty retreat.  
The hero pushes aside the unconscious Wolfos and reclaims his sword. He then pulls out his bow and easily shoots the target across the water. A chest appears to the side of the torch. Link then grabs the box and puts it on the switch causing a second chest to appear. Inside each chest is a silver key.  
A growl sounds from behind the hero. Link turns to see the Wolfos has returned and is rushing towards him. Since he has his bow handy he fires an arrow at the beast. The Wolfos dodges the arrow and jumps at the Hero of Time. Link steps aside and kicks out at the passing creature. The momentum of Link's kick sends the Wolfos rolling across the clearing into the water.  
Link averts his eyes as the Wolfos melts into the poisoned stream. Painful cries are emitted from the creature as it struggles to free itself from its inescapable demise. Navi takes a look at the stream and shudders, "Let's get out of here."  
The hero pulls out the compass. This time the arrow points in a Southeast direction. Link leaves the clearing as the dying creature emits one final cry.  
  
The next clearing along the path contains two cages, each with a monkey inside. Between the cages is a small platform. Link warily approaches the cages, but isn't interrupted as he opens each one. The monkeys thank Link before disappearing into the treetops. Link watches them go when Navi calls to him, "Link! We have company!"  
Link draws his sword as he turns to face his new challenge. Emerging from the trees is a Stalfos. Link sighs, "Can't I ever go anywhere without getting into a fight?"  
The Stalfos approaches Link, wildly swinging his sword as he approaches. Link blocks the attacks using his shield, with each strike knocking him backwards. The attacks stop causing Link to look above the edge of his shield. He sees the Stalfos jump towards him and manages to roll aside just in time to dodge.  
A few more dodges and Link is panting for breath. "This guy's too fast for me," he complains as he dodges another powerful swing. Link turns and runs towards one of the cages. The Stalfos eagerly follows him. Link notices the Stalfos pursuit and jumps against the edge of the cage. He shifts his feet and pushes back.  
Link soars through the air above the Stalfos. The Stalfos stops himself before running into the cage, but is unable to turn before Link buries his sword into the Stalfos back.  
The Stalfos lies dead at Link's feet. A high pitched sound fills the air as a chest materializes on the platform between the cages. Link approaches the chest and carefully pries open the lid. Inside lies a grappling hook (think Windwaker). A note accompanies the hook, which says "Use this item to pass the stream. Aim at the V in the branch. Good luck, Link! This is all I can do to help you for now. Good luck."  
"It's signed by Princess Zelda!" Link exclaims as he reads the note again.  
"So that's what she's been up to. She disappeared after Ganondorf took over. We all thought that he had kidnapped her or maybe worse..." Navi explains.  
Link ponders over this ideal. Is it possible that Zelda took on the persona of Sheik again? If so, when would they cross paths? Why did Zelda say she couldn't do any more to help him?  
"Snap out of it Link! We should hurry and get back to the stream crossing. There are still two monkeys that need to be saved." Navi yells at Link.  
"Ok, I'm going. You don't need to rush me. I was just thinking about something." Link retaliates.  
  
About ten minutes later, Link and Navi stand on the bank of the stream. The path is clearly visible on the other side of the water. Link looks up at the tree branches that extend over the water. He spots a branch that has two smaller branches sticking out of it in the shape of a V. The hero pulls out the grappling hook and begins twirling it around. Once it reaches a good speed Link releases the hook. He watches the hook sail through the air before latching onto the branch.  
Link gives the rope a quick tug to ensure that the hook is secure. He knows that he can't swing across because the ropes length would dip him into the water. So, Link climbs the rope in order to get on top of the branch. Link stands on the branch and looks across the river. A second V branch is visible just a short distance away.  
The hook latches on to this second branch. After giving it a short tug, Link swings across the river. Once he is safely across the water, Link reclaims the grappling hook. "I like this thing." Link comments as he returns the hook to his kit.  
The path ahead of Link branches out in two directions. One path Link can see a small flame flickering in the distance. The other path is nothing but darkness. Of course, Link picks the path that he can see the light.  
Link finds a bundle of arrows on the edge of the clearing. A torch burns on the ground, illuminating a small silver Rupee. A second Rupee floats in the air above a box. Link notices a crudely constructed walkway built above the forest floor. A V branch appears to give access to the catwalk. Two more Rupees lie along the near edge of the wooden structure. Link assumes that a fifth gem is up on the catwalk but is out of sight. At the end of the walkway is a chest surrounded by flames.  
Link moves to the torch. He leans over and picks up the first Rupee. He hears a small click as he picks up the gem. Link runs over to the box and climbs on top of it. He snatches the second gem as he tosses the grappling hook at the branch. The hero climbs the rope and rolls off onto the platform. Link was right; the fifth gem is up here.  
Link makes a mad dash down the catwalk, staying careful not to slip and fall. He collects each of the three Rupees that hover in the air. The fire dies around the chest as Link pockets the fifth gem. A silver key is in the chest.  
The hero climbs down from the catwalk. He looks around the clearing. Seeing nothing, Link consorts the compass. The arrow on the compass points back down the path towards the fork. Link proceeds to retrace his steps back to the fork.  
Link turns and begins walking down the other half of the fork. The visibility is very poor as fog encroaches across the path. Link takes a look at the contents of his pockets to make sure everything is still there. One key, the grappling hook, the compass, and the Ocarina of Time are all present. Link returns all of the objects to his pocket and looks back to the path. A small light is approaching Link.  
Link ducks behind a tree as the light gets closer. A second light joins the first, slightly behind it. Link watches as a Poe carrying a lantern passes by his hiding place. The other light is a second Poe. Between the two Poes is a pair of Stalfos carrying a pole between them. Attached to the pole is a hog tied monkey.  
The hero trains his bow on the lead Poe. Link waits for a few seconds to ensure that he is still unnoticed. He fires his arrow at the Poe. He watches in amazement as the arrow passes through thin air. Both Poes disappear, leaving the Stalfos and Link in darkness.  
Within seconds the Stalfos are defeated. He quickly unties the monkey, who runs off into the distance. Link looks down the path to see the two Poes fleeing and gives chase. Navi takes off after the hero.  
By the time Navi catches up to Link, he is already engaged in battle with the Poes. Navi watches as Link strikes down one of the Poes. The second one takes the opportunity to flee the small clearing. Link is about to give chase when a tree crashes down in front of him. Link looks up to see the cause of the falling tree and jumps in surprise.  
Floating before Link is the largest Poe he has ever seen. The Poe is at least the height of the treetops and takes up nearly the entire clearing. Inside of its lantern is a cage containing a monkey. Link watches as the Poe that ran floats back towards the large Poe. The large Poe simply absorbs the smaller Poe, causing himself to grow even larger. Link gulps as the giant Poe focuses his attention on the hero.  
The Poe twirls around his lantern, launching fireballs in every direction. Link blocks the fireball heading towards him with his shield. He then fires a couple of arrows at the Poe, but the arrows pass through the ghost. The Poe proceeds to send more fireballs at the hero. Link dives to the dirt as the fireballs scorch past him.  
The hero looks up, ready to dodge the Poes next attack. To his surprise, the Poe is no longer hovering in front of him. Link stands up and looks around in confusion. "Behind you!" Navi yells, but is too late. The Poe had charged Link and sent the hero flying against a tree.  
Link gets up, rubbing his head in pain. Navi flies over to the hero to see if he's ok. Meanwhile, the Poe disappears into the trees behind Link. A trickle of blood rolls along Links cheek. Navi tries to wipe the blood away but Link pushes her away. Link grabs a branch of the tree and pulls himself into a kneeling position.  
The sound of laughter fills the forest as the Poe charges Link. Link looks around to find where the Poe is coming from. He catches as glimpse of light coming from behind him. The hero pulls out his grappling hook and instinctively tosses it into the air. Link can feel the breath of the Poe at his back. The Poe once again sends Link flying across the clearing.  
This time, Link turns so that his feet are facing the trees that he is headed for. Link feels a tug from the grappling hook as it latches onto some branch in the treetops. Link pulls on the rope, causing him to change direction. A tree springs up in front of Link. The hero plants his feet against the wood and pushes back towards the Poe.  
The Poe sees Link heading towards it, so it attempts to disappear, but to no luck. Link passes by the spirit, stealing its lantern as he goes by. The Poe can no longer disappear. Link drops the lantern onto the grass as he lands.  
Link pulls out his bow and fires half a dozen arrows at the helpless ghost. The Poe howls as its body disintegrates into the fog. A small black spirit floats in the air where the body was destroyed. Link watches as the spirit's face turns from a look of disappointment into a maniacal evil look. With an evil laugh, the spirit vanishes.  
Link pulls out the key that he had stored and heads over to the lantern. The glass casing lies broken across the clearing, leaving the cage with the monkey easily accessible. Link steps across the broken glass heading over to the cage. He unlocks the cage, releasing the monkey. The monkey jumps around enthusiastically upon freedom.  
Within seconds the other four monkeys have hopped their way into the clearing to join their friend. One hops over to Link and beckons him to follow the other monkeys. Link trudges after the energetic creatures as they bounce through the fog and trees. After a half hour or so the monkeys stop at the edge of an extremely large clearing. The monkeys beckon Link to enter the clearing.  
Link does what the monkeys tell him to do. He walks into the center of the clearing and looks around. "There's nothing here." Link tells Navi.  
"Maybe the monkeys were somewhat confused with the meaning of boss. I'll go ask them." Navi says as she flies off.  
Link hears a deep growl behind him. The hero nervously looks over his shoulder and stares wide-eyed at the sight. "I wouldn't worry about asking the monkeys, Navi. I think I found the boss." Link says as he pulls out his sword. (--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------) A/N: Thus ends part one of the forest temple. Any guesses as to what or who the boss is? You'll have to wait for a week or so, maybe less to find out. Thanks for the reviews. This is Tint signing out after a chapter that nearly doubled the amount of words that I've posted so far. Hope the numbers keep up. 


	5. Forest Temple: Part 2, Fluffy

The Hero Returns To Hyrule  
  
A/N: This is my very first fic that I've ever written, so please take that into account when reading.  
I had a couple of questions regarding my choice of the grappling hook over the hookshot. The grappling hook serves better for reaching further away places because the rope is more flexible than the chain of the hookshot. Link can change direction using the grappling hook, while the hookshot can only take him in a straight line. To please the hookshot fans, I may include a variant of the hookshot latter in the story, but for now, it stays as the grappling hook.  
I had some trouble with what the boss should be, but I've finally decided. Since this temple has a skeletal/ghost/wilderness theme, I think the boss is appropriate. Hope you enjoy and please review. (--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------)  
  
Chapter 5: Forest Temple: Boss  
  
A bead of sweat drops from Link's brow as he stares into the face of his opponent. The hero covers his nose to stop the smell of decaying flesh and bone. Navi hovers at the edge of the clearing. She turns at the sound of Link's voice. "What the hell is that!?!" She exclaims in horror.  
"I think it came from hell." Link says dryly as he takes a couple of steps away from the foul creature.  
Link gets a good look at the entire body of the creature. Overall the creature looks like some sort of demon wolf. Tuffs of fur barely cling to the bones of this gigantic skeletal beast. A freakishly long tail, complete with spikes protruding in all directions, extends behind the creature. Foot-long claws and a pair of deadly fangs make the creature look extremely dangerous. Then there are the eyes, with their gleaming red glow of hatred burning into Link.  
Navi quickly flies over to Link. "I can't find any weak points!" She whispers into Link's ear, with a sense of fright weighing heavily on the words.  
Link watches as the demon wolf howls into the night sky. The demon wolf glares at Link panting heavily. Some odd black drool drips from the jaws of the mighty creature. Link notices that the drool appears to be the same fluid that made up the stream from earlier in the temple.  
To Link and Navi's surprise the creature speaks in a hollow far-away sounding voice, "Ganondorf expected that the Hero would return to face him again. He wanted Fluffy to retrieve the Triforce of Courage. Fluffy must kill Hero to please master Ganondorf." With that speech Fluffy charges.  
Link rolls underneath the skeletal wolf. The hero lies on the ground as the mad beast stops above him. Fluffy looks around the clearing trying to find Link. As Link lies beneath the creature he spots some bones that appear to be very weak and crumbled. Link slices through the bones, causing Fluffy to run away from the hero.  
The hero watches in amazement as a black cloud covers the broken bones. After a few seconds the cloud disappears, revealing brand new bones replacing the empty chasm. "This isn't going to be easy." Link says as Fluffy charges again.  
Link runs towards the lumbering beast. As he prepares to roll beneath the creature, he notices that Fluffy lowers his head to stop Link from rolling underneath of him. Link is faced with the gaping jaws of Fluffy headed directly towards him. Link thrusts his shield between the massive jaws of the beast. Fluffy pushes forward causing Link to lose his balance.  
Link is knocked to the ground. Fluffy rears up and prepares to crush the hero beneath its mighty feet. Link stares up at the creature, awestruck upon the massive sight. Suddenly, a glint of metal catches the hero's eye. Link looks carefully at Fluffy's stomach. "Could it be a shard of the Master Sword?" Link asks himself as he rolls aside of Fluffy's stomping attack.  
The hero attempts to sneak behind the massive creature. Unfortunately, Link forgot about Fluffy's tail. Link is caught off guard by the sudden entrapment of his feet. He struggles to pull his feet free from the spiked tail of Fluffy. The more Link struggles, the tighter Fluffy squeezes. Then, Fluffy proceeds to enclose his tail around Link's entire body. Link cries out in pain as he feels the spikes puncturing his skin.  
Navi watches in horror as Fluffy lifts Link off the ground. Link's sword and shield drop harmlessly to the ground as the creature tightens its grip. A trickle of blood drops to the forest floor. Link puts up a slight struggle as Fluffy gives Link a final squeeze. Link loses consciousness.  
Navi flies up to the face of the beast. "Let him go! Hey! I'm talking to you! Let him go! NOW!" She yells into the face of the giant creature.  
Fluffy ignores the annoying ball of light in front of him. The boss of the Forest Temple has defeated Link, The Hero Of Time. Fluffy gives his tail a shake sending Link's unconscious form flying into the air. Fluffy opens his jaws to catch and devour the unlucky hero.  
  
"Don't give up Link!" A female voice sounds.  
Link opens his eyes and looks around. He is in the Chamber of Sages. Saria stands in front of him. "What..." He mutters.  
"Don't speak. Just head my advice. Fluffy will lose the ability to regenerate once the shard of the Master Sword has been released from his body." Saria hints.  
Link nods at the advice. He looks over at the other sages. He watches as Darunia hands Nabouru a yellow Rupee. "Told you so. Fluffy is definitely stronger than Link." Nabouru brags to Darunia.  
"My Sworn Brother hasn't lost yet. I'll get my money back soon enough." Darunia says as he turns his back of the Gerudo sage.  
Link feels himself falling away from the sages. He reaches out to grab Saria's arm. Saria gives Link a thumbs up sign as his world turns black.  
  
"Wake up, Link!" Navi's voice jolts Link back to reality.  
Link frantically stares down at the gaping jaws of Fluffy. He searches his mind for some sort of escape option. An ideal pops into his head. Link pulls out the grappling hook from his pocket and aims it into the open mouth of Fluffy. He then lets the hook fly into its target.  
Link kicks out his legs and feels something crumble beneath him. He looks down to see that he's standing on Fluffy's open jaws. Link feels the grappling hook latch onto his target, so he pulls it up. Grasped in the hook is the shard of the Master Sword. Fluffy's eyes turn from their red shade to a pale grayish color.  
The hero pockets the shard as he jumps to the spine of the massive creature. He tosses the grappling hook around Fluffy's neck. The end of the hook returns straight back to Link. Link stands on the back of Fluffy, guiding the massive creature around the clearing. Fluffy proceeds to smash aside the trees as it exits the clearing.  
Navi takes off after the bucking wolf. She watches as Link guides the mad beast trough the trees. Stalfos and Stalchilds are crushed beneath the rampaging beast. Suddenly Link and Fluffy disappear from sight. Navi rushes to the sight and stares over the edge of a cliff.  
From out of nowhere the grappling hook appears over the edge. Navi grabs hold of the hook and pulls it over to a tree. She secures it in place against the tree. "Come on Link." She whispers as the rope becomes taught.  
After a few minutes a hand appears over the edge of the cliff. A second hand follows shortly thereafter. Link's head appears as the hero pulls himself onto stable ground. The hero collapses in exhaustion.  
Navi flies over to the tired hero. She looks over the countless punctures, scratches, and bruises. "Think you can walk back to the clearing?" She asks Link.  
Link laughs. "I can try."  
Link staggers to his feet. He collects his grappling hook before following the path of destruction back to the clearing. Once there, Link reclaims his sword and shield before collapsing in the magic blue circle.  
  
Up in the heavens Darunia grabs his money back from Nabouru. The other sages laugh as Darunia dances around in celebration. His dance is cut short by the appearance of Link and Navi. Darunia rushes over to Link and embraces him in a giant bear hug. "Watch it, big guy. I'm in pretty bad shape after that fight." Link yelps as the air is knocked out of him.  
"Sorry about that. I'll take care of it for you." Darunia says as he casts a red glow over Link. All the wounds Link collected are removed.  
"Link, would you mind if we keep hold of the Master Sword shard until you've collected them all?" Impa asks as she approaches the hero.  
"Sure thing." Link says as he tosses the shard over to the sage. "I have one question though. What exactly happened to Zelda?"  
Rauru clears his throat, "We don't know. She was hidden away, but one day she disappeared. Since then we haven't heard from her. Our guess is that she found some safe spot inside of the sacred realm that is completely undetectable."  
"Instead of worrying for her, you should find the next temple." Ruto suggests. "Head to Goron City. You should find the entrance somewhere near there."  
"Next time I'm betting on you." Nabouru mutters as Link vanishes from the Chamber of Sages. (--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------)  
  
A/N: Please review this chapter. I need to know if it needs improved. I'm not sure how well I can do boss fights, so I need some opinions. Other than that, Tint out. 


	6. Love and Death in Hyrule Field

**The Hero Returns To Hyrule**

A/N: _This is my very first fic that I've ever written, so please take that into account when reading. _

Sorry about the wait. My Internet wouldn't work, so I've had no chance to update in a long time. After this expect updates every two or three days. Thanks for waiting.

With the first shard of the Master Sword returned to the Sages, Link makes his way to Goron City. A very interesting twist in the plot will be revealed in this chapter. Some of you may know already, but I don't care. As for the part where Link is telling his story, think of it as like C-3PO telling a story to the Ewoks in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. It helps.

(----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------)

Chapter 6: Love and Death in Hyrule Field

The Deku Tree Shrub looks up in interest as a blue circle appears before him. A figure descends from the ceiling. A magical glow surrounds the Hero of Time as he plants his feet on the firm earth inside the Deku Tree. "I feel a sense of calm inside of the Forest Temple. You must have defeated the evil presence inside the temple." The Deku Tree Sprout states as the blue mist fades into the darkness.

Link nods his head at the small plant. "You are free to grow in peace, my friend." The hero says as he leaves the chamber.

The heavy door to the chamber slams shut as Link and Navi pass through it. A rope hangs from the giant hole in the ceiling, allowing Link access to the entrance of the Deku Tree. Link wades out into the small pool of water below the rope and looks up. He sees the smiling face of a young Kokiri. "Climb on up, mister. We can help." The child calls down as Link grasps the end of the rope.

After a short while Link climbs over the edge of the hole. To his surprise, not only are there Kokiri awaiting him, but also Skull kids. Noticing Link's reaction, Mido, leader of the Kokiri, approaches the hero to explain. "The Skull kids formed an alliance with us after Ganondorf attacked the forest. They agreed to help us rebuild our village in return for acceptance among us." The Skullkids nod in agreement.

One of the Skullkids approaches Link and asks, "Are you the one who freed me from that evil mask?"

The hero nods his head in response causing the child to jump with glee. "Friend, Link! Please accept my apologies for my actions back in Termina. I was not myself."

The Kokiri are stunned. "Did he just say that that guy's name is Link?" One whispers to a girl standing beside him.

"Apology accepted," Link laughs as he picks up the Skull kid. As he places the child on his broad shoulder a Kokiri tugs on his sleeve. "Are you the same Link that lived in the tree house in our village?"

Link flinches at the question. He had been hoping to avoid revealing his identity to his childhood friends. "Follow me." He says as he steps through the gaping mouth of the former guardian.

The children follow the hero as he treks towards the ruins of the Kokiri settlement. The man dressed as a Kokiri puts down the Skull kid before crossing the blood stained stream. Link finds a patch of charred grass to sit on. He beckons the children following him to sit in a circle. "I will tell you everything." He says once the children of the forest are seated.

Immediately a barrage of questions bombarded the hero. "Where have you been? How did you grow up? What happened to Saria? Why did the evil man who killed the Deku Tree attack us?"

Link clears his throat before attempting to answer the questions that he is faced with. "First of all, I know you all want to know what's happening. I'll try to tell you all that I know. To tell you the truth, I don't even understand some of this.

Seven years ago I was asked by the Deku Tree to take the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, The Kokiri Emerald, to Princess Zelda. She requested that I go and find the other two Spiritual Stones. I did as she asked and went to return the stones to her. When I got back to the castle, the Princess had fled from the evil man, Ganondorf, who had destroyed the Deku Tree back then.

As she fled, Princess Zelda gave me this," Link says as he olds up the Ocarina of Time. "I used this to enter the Temple of Time in Hyrule City. I pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal and was sent seven years into the future. Unfortunately, Ganondorf followed and stole the Triforce, the ancient power handed down by the goddesses."

The forest children stare at Link in amazement. Most of them do not believe Link, but they love a good story, so they listened. "Ganondorf used the Triforce to do many evil things to the Land of Hyrule, much the same as he has done now. I was sent around Hyrule to awaken the Sages from their slumber. One of these Sages was Saria." Gasps emerge from the Kokiri.

"Early in my quest, I found out I was a Hylian, not a Kokiri." More gasps. "I was shocked, too. I succeeded in my quest with the help of a mysterious Sheikah named Sheik, who turned out to be Princess Zelda. After all of the Sages were awakened I went to battle Ganondorf at his evil castle. The battle waged on for hours, but I emerged victorious." Cheers from the crowd.

"The Sages sealed Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm, hoping he would never escape. I was sent back to my original time seven years ago. I returned the Master Sword to the pedestal and Navi here left on some sort of journey. I went on a quest to find her. I ended up in the land of Termina, where I had another amazing adventure."

Link stands up. Two days have passed since he started telling his story. Link stares up at the bright full moon and shudders at the memory of his final battle in Termina. "Won't you tell us about your quest in Termina?" asks one of the dreary eyed children.

Link shakes his head. "Sorry, but I should continue with my current quest. I'll come back one day, once it's over, to tell you the story. OK?" He asks the children.

"Promise?" asks one small girl.

"Promise." Link calls back as he crosses the small bridge that leads to Hyrule Field.

"It's quiet." Navi says as she and Link walk through the hollowed out log that serves as an entrance into the Kokiri forest.

"Too quiet." Link mutters as he pulls out his sword.

"You don't need to worry about that." A voice sounds from the trees above the hero and fairy.

Link looks up and spots the familiar owl. "Good to see you again, old friend." Link calls up to the feathered creature.

"On nights of the full moon, Ganondorf has his creatures summoned to his castle to worship him. On these nights, Ganondorf absorbs the power of the weakest creatures, adding to his own. Then he summons powerful creatures, such as Stalchilds and Iron Knuckles, from an unknown portal. Do you understand all this?"

Link nods his head. "Then it is best I take leave. Head to the peak of Death Mountain. I shall be waiting there for your arrival." The owl announces before taking flight into the night sky.

"I hate how he always sneaks up on us." Navi says.

"At least he's on our side." Link says as he pulls the Ocarina of Time from out of his pocket. The melody of Epona's Song echoes as Link summons his faithful steed. In the direction of Lon Lon Ranch sounds Epona's neigh. Within a minute the beautiful horse breaches the crest of a hill. The full moon silhouettes the majestic beast as it rears into the air.

As Epona neared, Link noticed a rider upon his horse's back. The rider's long auburn hair shimmers in the night sky as horse and rider come to a stop in front of Link. "Need a ride?" Malon asks as she extends her hand towards Link.

Link grasps the girl's hand and pulls himself onto Epona's back behind Malon. "Hold on." Malon calls as she spurs Epona into a gallop. Navi is left behind in a cloud of dust. "Hey! Link! Wait up." The fairy calls as she watches Link and Malon disappear into the night. "Why me?" Navi asks herself.

The wind howls past the two riders as they fly across the fields of Hyrule. Malon guides Epona over the hills with ease. Suddenly, Epona comes across a small fence, causing her to jump the obstacle. The sudden jolt of landing causes Link to hold onto Malon's waist for support. Malon smiles when she feels Link's grasp. She leans over the neck of the horse and whispers into Epona's ear, "The plans working, keep it up."

Malon looks over her shoulder into the face of the hero. "I have to ask you, Link. Do you remember the first time you went to Lon Lon Ranch?" Link nods in response. "My father asked you a question and I would like to know your answer. He asked if you wanted to marry me. What did you say?"

Link is about to answer, but cries out in surprise as Epona abruptly stops. Both Link and Malon are tossed from the back of the horse. While falling through the air, Link grabs hold of Malon, pulling her close to him. Upon hitting the ground Link and Malon roll to a stop. Malon is lying on the grass, with Links arms tightly grasped around her body.

Malon stares up into the eyes of the handsome Hylian that she has grown attracted to over the years. Wild images cross both of their minds as the two lay on the ground. Malon's heart is sent aflutter as she watches Link's lips begin to move slowly towards hers.

Navi flutters across the field, searching for the two riders. "How many times do I have to tell him to not leave me behind?" The blue fairy mutters to herself. The fairy shudders as she flies past the evil fortress of Ganondorf. After taking control of Hyrule, Ganondorf turned Hyrule Market into his own personal courtyard to his evil castle.

Navi looks around for a while before spotting movement. On the hill that overlooks the path up Death Mountain, Navi spots the travelers. She watches in horror as Link and Malon are tossed from Epona's saddle and land awkwardly in a crumpled heap.

"Link!" Navi yells out in panic as she watches, flying past the gates of the evil fortress. The sound of creaking wood stops the fairy from heading to Link's rescue. Navi watches in horror as the drawbridge to the castle begins to lower itself. Off in the distance the sun peaks over the horizon.

"Yes." Link says as his lips gently caress those of Malon's. Malon reaches up with one hand and pulls the hero closer to her. With her other hand, she pulls off the hero's green hood, causing his blond hair to fall across his eyes and into Malon's face. After a few seconds, Link pulls away from Malon's grasp. The gleam of sunshine covers the two as they stare into each others eyes.

The sound of the drawbridge collapsing brings Link and Malon back to reality. Navi is hurriedly making her way towards the two new lovers. Link gasps as a midnight black horse and rider emerge from the castle. A black sphere appears in the rider's hand as it is raised into the air. Then, the rider tosses the dark mass towards Navi, Link and Malon.

Link watches in horror as the black sphere strikes his friend. The female lets out a painful scream as the ball passes through her. Tears stream from Link's eyes as he watches, unable to stop anything. A final breath emerges from the victim's mouth as she falls to the ground, dead.

Hatred burns inside of Link as he looks from the body of his friend to the smirking face of his enemy. The black rider laughs at Link's pain before turning and heading back towards the castle.

"GANONDORF!!!" Link yells at the back of the rider. The rider says nothing. The only response is the rider lifting one arm into the air. Link stares as he watches both the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Wisdom glow on the back of the rider's hand.

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A/N: Am I evil or what? Have the chapter appearing all nice and lovely, and then have either Navi or Malon killed. I'm leaving that in the dark for now, because I am evil! Tint out.


	7. Enter The New Enemy

**The Hero Returns To Hyrule**

****

A/N: _This is my very first fic that I've ever written, so please take that into account when reading. _

_If I may ask, could I get some more reviews? Getting two or three per chapter isn't bad, but I would like a few more. The same goes for my new fic, "Fantasy Forever". It's good to know that there are a few people who are reading this fic and I would like to thank them for it._

_I'm having trouble with the indentations being removed from my updated chapters, so I am switching to writing the first word of a new section in **BOLD.** Hope it helps._

_As I last left off, the mysterious black rider, presumably Ganondorf, interrupted Link and Malon during a romantic event. Navi attempted to warn the hero of the impending assault, but was too late. Link watched in horror as one of his best female friends gets slain by this evil rider. And now, the moment you have been waiting for. I will reveal the identity of the victim._

Chapter 7: Pain of Loss

**Two** glowing triangles fill the eyes of the hero as he watches the murderer ride off towards the castle. The horse stops before entering the fortress that is Ganondorf's castle. An evil cackle fills the air as the rider disappears from Link's sight.

Monsters begin sprouting out of the ground near Link. "We should move." The girl says as the monsters begin to enclose upon the group.

Link nods his head silently. In one swift motion, the hero picks up the lifeless corpse before swinging onto the back of Epona. The surviving girl settles herself behind Link. A sharp kick sends Epona barreling through the crowd of monsters.

Zombie hands grab at Link's feet as Epona tramples the foul creatures. The hero shakes off a stubborn paw that is climbing up his leg. Link quickly swings his sword to the horse's sides, slicing as many creatures as he can. A pocket of open ground appears before the charging horse. Epona takes the opportunity to hurdle over the remaining creatures and break into the open fields.

Link guides the faithful horse towards the safety of Lon Lon Ranch. Upon seeing the hero rush towards the ranch, a few citizens hurriedly draw back the gates. Once Link passes the gates are quickly slammed shut in the faces of the approaching beasts.

The people of Hyrule follow Link as he somberly rides Epona into the corral. Gorons, Zoras, and Hylians all watch in silence as Link dismounts from Epona. A couple of Gorons quickly dig a small grave for the body to rest in. The female follows Link's lead and watches in silence behind him as he lays the body in the grave.

Tears stream down the cheeks of the hero as he kicks the dirt over the corpse of his friend. "Rest well, Navi."

"**Is** he still out there?" Malon asks her father.

Talon looks out at the corral. "Yup. It's been nearly three hours. He must be taking it really hard."

"Navi was his most trusted ally and an even better friend." Comments King Zora.

"Are you sure there's nothing that we can do to ease his suffering?" asks the curious young Link of the Gorons.

The four are seated by a fire that sits on the outside of the fence that surrounds the corral. Dotting the perimeter of the fence are dozens of similar fires. And in the center of the corral is Link, all by his lonesome. "I don't know. He hasn't said a word since he cursed the name of the Evil King. But, I can try talking to him."

Malon pulls herself to her feet. She walks to the entrance of the corral and takes a deep breath before entering the area. The ranch girl glides over the mist of the early morning dew. Malon stops a few steps behind the mourning hero. "You ok?" Malon asks.

Link jumps at Malon's voice. He quickly pockets something that was on the ground in front of him. Malon doesn't notice this as Link looks back at the girl that he had shared an intimate moment with only hours earlier. "It's not just Navi that I mourn for."

Malon is slightly stunned by Link's response. "Who else are you mourning for, then?"

Link lets out a sigh. "I mourn for all the people that have been killed by Ganondorf over all the years that I have opposed him. I mourn for the Kokiri that almost lost their forest. I mourn not only for Navi, but for you and Zelda. The thought of Ganondorf killing either of you along with Navi would be too much for me."

"Speaking of Zelda, isn't she supposed to be in possession of the Triforce of Wisdom, not Ganondorf?"

"That's one thing that has been troubling me since I came back to Hyrule. I was sure that I would have run into Zelda as soon as I came back. The fact that Ganondorf has the Triforce of Wisdom can mean one of three things. Ganondorf has already killed Zelda. Ganondorf has Zelda held captive somewhere in Hyrule and has stolen the Triforce from her. Or, Zelda has joined Ganondorf willingly. I don't want any of those to be true."

Malon drapes her arms over Links shoulders and rests her head on his shoulder. Link clasps Malon's hands against his chest. "I want you to know that I will be there for you if you need any help." Malon whispers into Link's ear.

"Thanks." Link remarks as he tilts his head back to kiss Malon. A couple of cheers sound from various fires as the two kiss. An icy glare from the hero silences the cheering. A giggle sounds from Malon that causes Link to stare at her. "What's so funny?" He demands.

"You just look so funny when you're embarrassed." Malon bursts out into a fit of laughter.

Link gives a big smile. "At least I don't look funny all the time." Link says jokingly only to receive a punch in the arm.

Malon pulls Link to his feet. "Come with me. The leaders want to talk to you." Malon says as she pulls the hero away from the small grave. Link looks back at Navi's grave as he is pulled along. The hero extends his hand and gives the classic Vulcan "Live Long and Prosper" sign.

**Malon** takes her seat at the leader fire. Link nervously stands as if waiting for an invitation to join. Malon reaches up and grabs the edge of Link's tunic, pulling him to the ground beside her.

"Thank you for joining us, Link. It is an honor to finally meet the hero that my father named me after." Link of the Gorons says as he extends his hand towards Link.

Link shakes the young Goron's hand heartily. "It's an honor for Darunia to name his son after me."

"Enough of the pleasantries." Interrupts Talon. "We need to act fast before Ganondorf fortifies the Temples and makes them impregnable. Here's my plan." Talon takes out a large piece of parchment and lays it on the ground before Link.

The hero looks over the map of Hyrule with great interest. The land of Hyrule has changed quite a bit since Link's last adventure. Marked on the map are the locations of the six temples. King Zora picks up a stick lying nearby and points to the map. "As you already know, the Forest Temple is located inside of the Great Deku Tree. The Fire Temple was located in Goron City, but after that got destroyed we were forced to have the protector of the entrance move deep within the crater of Death Mountain. To get there you need to get through Kakiriko Village, and then climb the mountain. Think you can do it?"

Link nods his head, "Of course I can. When do I get started?"

"Right now." Talon mentions as he whistles for Epona. Within seconds Epona is happily trotting towards the leaders. "Be careful once you reach Kakiriko. It is not as it used to be." Talon instructs Link as he climbs onto Epona's back.

With a short nod Link starts towards the entrance. After a few paces, the hero feels a tug at his side. He looks over into Malon's glittering eyes. "Let me come with you." Malon asks.

"I can't. It is too dangerous out there for you. I don't want you to get hurt or worse…" Link trails off as he glances at Navi's gravesite.

"But…"

"No buts. Stay here and train a bit. Once you can prove to me that you can handle your own out there, then I will let you come with me." With this statement Link rides off into the fields of Hyrule.

Malon watches the hero vanish into the night for a few seconds. In anger, Malon pulls a knife out from its sheath and buries it deep into a tree trunk. She turns and whistles towards the stables. The door of the building swings open and out bursts a shimmering silver horse. After reclaiming her knife, Malon swings onto the back of the silver horse and takes off after Link.

**Link** looks at the castle that sits smugly behind the walls of Hyrule Market. A black mist covers the top tower of the castle. As Link watches, the mist begins to spread across the sky, plunging the world into darkness. "Yeah, I hate you too Ganondorf." Link mutters as he pulls Epona to a stop.

The hero proceeds to pull out a piece of parchment and ties it to an arrow. He fits the arrow to the bowstring and pulls the bow tight. Link lines up a glowing window of the castle and fires the arrow through the darkened sky and into the window.

A smile crosses the hero's lips as he locates the glow of Death Mountain. He spurs Epona across the small bridge and up the giant staircase that leads into Kakiriko Village. The sight that greets the hero takes his breath away.

**The** sound of rushed footsteps echo through the halls of the castle. A small goblin bursts into the throne room, clutching his arm. Imbedded in the goblin's arm is Link's arrow. The goblin nervously approaches the throne and drops to one knee. He clears his throat, "Master Ganondorf! I have a message from your enemy!"

Ganondorf appears bored as he sits on the large throne. In one hand he swirls a large glass of wine. Ganondorf takes a sip of wine and beckons the goblin to come closer. The goblin complies and inches forward.

The Dark Prince grasps the arrow and violently yanks the arrow loose. The goblin gives a slight yelp of pain as blood spurts from the wound. Ganondorf slowly looks down at his cape, which is covered in the goblin's blood. "You bled on my cape." Ganondorf says coolly.

"I'm sorry, Master. I didn't mean to. It was an accident." The goblin stammers as he backs away towards the door.

"What did I teach you?" Ganondorf yells at the cowering creature as he gets to his feet. "You never are to apologize to anybody. You are part of my army, and my army never is sorry."

With one quick motion, Ganondorf grasps the poor creature by the neck and lifts him into the air. Then, the Evil King walks over to a window. Ganondorf looks out over Hyrule Field. "So, Link is out there somewhere. Why don't you join him?" Glass shatters as the goblin flies through the window. A sickening thud sounds as the creature hits the ground far below.

"It's a shame. I just had that window replaced." Mutters a voice from the shadows by the throne.

Ganondorf turns around to see a woman dressed entirely in black sit in the throne. "Princess Zelda. It is a surprise to see you. I wasn't expecting to run into you until Link got here."

Zelda laughs at Link's name. "Link!?! Why would I be helping that useless little boy?"

Ganondorf scratches his head in confusion. "May I ask why you are here then, if you aren't helping Link?"

"Simple. If you remember correctly, Link and I had defeated you and sealed you in the Shadow Realm."

"Yes, that's right. You stripped me of my power and the pieces of the Triforce that I had collected." Ganondorf says, hatred dripping off the words.

"Good times, good times. You know of the terror the people are living through? You are probably very confused about who's doing it." Zelda says proudly as she holds up her right hand and shows the two parts of the Triforce.

"Are you saying that you are the one doing all of this?" The Dark Prince says in disbelief.

Zelda nods her head. "I've been framing you this whole time. I've made sure that Link hates you even more than he did the last time you fought. His hatred will be his downfall, and your victory."

"And you intend to claim the Triforce of Courage once I defeat Link, making you the unstoppable force in the world. What's in it for me?" Ganondorf asks.

"A share of the power and bragging rights for being the first to defeat Link." Zelda replies.

Ganondorf appears interested by the offer. "I can handle that, as long as I don't have to call you Master."

Zelda laughs as she extends her hand. "Zelda is fine." She says as Ganondorf grasps her hand and shakes it. The two rulers stare into each others eyes, distrust burning deeply. "I must take my leave now, Ganondorf. I bid thee farewell." A cloud of smoke appears as the Princess vanishes from the room.

"What the hell is going on here?" Ganondorf mutters as he reclaims his chair.

A/N: _So what do you think? Don't hate me because I killed Navi or make Zelda evil. In the end it will all make sense and work out. Thanks for reading and please review. Tint out._


	8. Village of The Dead

**The Hero Returns To Hyrule**

A/N: _This is my very first fic that I've ever written, so please take that into account when reading. _

_Welcome to another chapter of The Hero Returns To Hyrule. If anyone has any advice for proper formatting please send me an e-mail._

_Link has arrived at Kakiriko Village, Zelda and Ganondorf have formed an alliance of sorts, and Malon is following Link. What horrors await the hero? Find out next time on... Sorry, wrong end of the story._

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Chapter 8: Village of the Dead

**A **horrid stench greeted the hero as he and Epona climbed the last stair. The smell was that of decaying flesh. He had smelled this smell before. Link looked around at the once proud village. A faint green mist hovered above the ground, hiding the countless tombstones that dotted the land.

Link jumped from Epona's back and led her to the archway of the town. The wood was nearly at the point of falling apart from all of the termites. "Wait here for me." Link whispered to Epona as he tied her to the post.

A shrill scream echoed through the town causing Epona to rear up and break the post she was attached to. Link watched helplessly as Epona bolted down the staircase and back towards Lon Lon Ranch. "This is going to be one of those days." Link muttered to himself as he proceeded towards the solitary tree ahead of him.

It was nearly impossible to see anything around him. The shadows blended in with the green mist and the darkened sky. For all Link knew, he could be surrounded. With sword drawn, Link tip-toed his way towards a nearby building. The sound of stumbling footsteps could be heard through the concrete walls.

There was a door in front of him. With an outstretched hand he pulled open the door. The nest thing he knew, hands were grasped around his neck, choking the life out of him. The hollow face of a Re-dead lifelessly stares into Link's eyes as the world around him began to darken even more.

The Re-dead forced Link to fall to his knees. His face began turning purple as his lungs emptied of air, struggling for more. The next thing he knew he blacked out.

**"How **you doing, Link? Head hurt any less?" A voice greets Link as his eyes flutter open. Link finds himself laying on a small cot inside of a building somewhere.

"Ugh..." Link mutters as he rubs the back of his head. He knew the voice from somewhere, but he couldn't place where from. He looks around the room as he raises his head and spots the source of the voice. Sitting in the corner is a hooded man, his face only briefly illuminated by the red glow of his pipe.

"You are quite lucky that I found you. You were just laying unconscious out in the middle of town, completely helpless." The hooded man admits.

"What happened?" Link asks groggily.

"Don't know. Whoever or whatever attacked you didn't finish the job. My guess is that someone anonymously came to your rescue."

"Who are you?" Link inquired as he raised himself into a sitting position.

"Hehehe... I see you are confused as to who I am. You may not remember me, but I remember you. I remember that day long ago when you got me that mask from the Happy Mask Shop." The hooded man says as he points to a mask hanging on the wall above him.

His head was feeling a lot better now. The pain and throbbing had gone away for the moment. "You must be that kid from the graveyard, am I right?"

"Yup. Bingo. The name's Strider." The man says as he extends a hand to Link.

Link reaches out and grasps the man's hand, but quickly pulls back in horror as soon as he touches the man's hand. Jutting out of the sleeve is a skeletal mass dripping with chunks of flesh. Strider notices Link's reaction and explains, "Sorry about that. Keep forgetting about this little bugger."

"Oh..." is all that Link says.

"Let me explain things to you. This town has always served as the home of the graveyard for most of Hyrule. After this new series of terrible events, the town became over-run by tombs and graves. The town was abandoned, and I ended up being the only one left.

I put myself in charge of calming the souls of the restless deceased. Every day I patrol the town and defeat any of the undead that wander. One day, during a fight, I tripped letting my hand fall into the well. Within seconds my hand looked like this."

Link nods, not taking his eyes off of the bony fingers. "Why did you stay if everyone else left?"

"Part of me wanted to go, but the other part ended up being stronger. Ever since I began taking after Dampe I've had this strange connection with the dead. I know it sounds weird, but that's just the way I am. That probably is why the sages chose me to guard the entrance to the Shadow Temple."

Link immediately jumped to his feet. "You know where the entrance to the Shadow Temple is? Can you take me there?"

"Of course. But, don't you think you should rest a bit more?" Strider asks.

"Nah. I'll be fine. I've been hurt a lot worse than this. A little bump isn't going to stop me from getting revenge against Ganondorf." Link boasts. He picks up his equipment and beckons for Strider to lead the way.

"Suit yourself." Strider says as he opens the door with his bony hand.

**"Watch **your head." Strider calls back to Link, but not before a solid thud and curses erupt from behind him.

"You could have warned me earlier." Link mutters as he clutches his second head wound of the day. He stares at the hooded figure skillfully make his way through the marsh like surface of the town. Strider wasn't lying, he knew this place just as well as Dampe had years ago.

The pair had made their way to the Royal Families tombstone. A large tunnel had been dug, clearly an excavation project underway. Strider climbs into the hole and slides further than Link can see. "Don't worry, there aren't any undead down here, 'cept me!" Striders voice calls from the depths of the earth. Link shrugs his shoulders and jumps in.

The chamber had been left intact, for the most part. Parts of the wall were crumbling, revealing dirt that was mostly white from all the bones scattered in it. Foul green gas ruptured from the cracks in the ground. Even the water was still that puke green color. Speaking of puke, Link did so once the smell reached him.

Strider led Link up to the ancient tablet that way back when had taught Link the "Suns Song." "Wait there for a second." Strider instructed as he pulls out a small flute. Except for the extra notes, this song matched the Nocturne of Shadow perfectly..

In response the tablet began to glow the familiar blue of the sage's portals. Link bowed his head and whispered a short prayer to avenge Navi. With head held high, Link entered the magic portal. Unfortunately, his held was held too high and he received yet another bump to match the other two from earlier.

**Strider **was heading back through the town. As he passed the building where he had found Link earlier he noticed a note attached to the door. He walked over and read the note:

_Link, you owe me one for that Re-dead. Big hero thinks he is the only one who can save Hyrule. I'll prove to you that I can do just as good as you. I went ahead to the Fire Temple in case you were worried. I'll be waiting with the Master Sword shard by the time you wake up. Get well soon, Malon._

It starts as a gag. Then it turns to a chuckle. The next thing he knows, Strider is doubled over in laughter. "You'll be waiting for a long time, girl. Link isn't coming back from the Shadow Temple. Not after I'm done with him."

Strider draws his sword and stares at the gleaming metal held amid bony digits. He reaches up to a clasp near his neck and undoes it. The cloak falls away, revealing the mysterious man. Pointy ears, blond hair, Hylian shield, a tunic and tights. A black aura surrounds this mirror image of Link. "Dark Link has been reborn! And now that I have a shard of the Master Sword, Link doesn't stand a chance!"

_A/N: Wow... Bet you didn't see that coming. I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but since the next one is a temple, expect it to be a long one. Please review and Tint out._


	9. Shadow Temple: Part 1

**The Hero Returns To Hyrule**

**Chapter 9: The Shadow Temple, Part 1**

_A/N: Welcome to the Shadow Temple! Link arrives at the next stop on the road to restoring the Master Sword, but an old enemy has returned to challenge him in a final fight to determine the ultimate Link. Who knows, maybe by the time this is over, Malon has defeated the evils of the Fire Temple. Let's find out._

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**Link** steps through the portal, still holding his head. He looks around at his surroundings with interest and disgust. It appears to be a courtyard of a hotel. The entire building shows decades of disregard, run down to the point of nearly collapsing upon itself.

The smell here is three times as bad as the one inside of the crypt. Every time the wind blew by, Link got the feeling of thousands of tiny insects eating away at his body. "Why are all these temples so death oriented?" Link mutters to himself as he heads towards a pair of French doors leading out of the courtyard.

The doors open as Link approached them. "Not a good sign." Link whispered as he tip-toed into the room.

Link finds himself in the lobby of the building. Shreds of once fancy red carpet covers the creaking floorboards. Rusted gold trolleys lay heaped in a pile near a pair of metal doors. A sign hanging across the door reads "Danger. Elevator Out of Commission." Beside the front doors is the reception desk.

Something of interest catches the hero's eyes on the other side of the desk. He takes a couple of steps back and gives himself a running start before jumping the desk. The jump itself was elegant, except for the part where Link catches his foot on the edge and falls awkwardly over the desk. "I'm glad nobody saw that." Link chuckled as he pulled himself to his feet.

But someone did see his accident. In fact a whole bunch of someone's saw the mishap. They watched in silence as Link collected a key from the desk. "Aw crap! There's has to be at least fifty stories in this place." Link exclaims when he catches sight of the hotel's map. Link still hadn't noticed that he was being watched.

A large skull was on the roof of the hotel. Link traced a path to the skull along the map using his finger. He repeated a couple of directions to himself as he climbed over the desk and headed to the stairway. The watchers looked at each other, evil smirks crossing their faces as Link took a cautionary step onto the first step.

Link climbed the staircase, but with every step higher he took, a feeling of dread in his stomach increased. A sign declared that Link was on the thirteenth floor. Link turned and headed up the staircase to the next floor. Halfway up the stairs the sound of wood being smashed into smithereens echoed up the stairwell. The hero nervously looked over the railing and was shocked to see the staircase collapsing towards him.

In a desperate attempt to flee the falling floor, Link rushed to the door to the thirteenth floor. He yanked it open and ran into... a brick wall. The stairs were speeding up, already at the tenth floor. Link made a wild dash up the stairs, heading to the next floor. Another sign declared that this was the thirteenth floor. Link didn't have time to be confused as he pulled open the door to this floor and ended up with the same result as the previous floor.

The collapsing stairs were at eleven. Again up the stairs. Again thirteen. Again a brick wall. Stairs at twelve. Again thirteen and a wall. The stairs were right behind him. The watchers began laughing at the helpless hero as he ran up the stairs not bothering to check doors. The stairs were falling as he stepped on them. He rounded a corner, knowing that he was doomed as the stairs begin falling in front of him.

Down he plummeted. All those who had been watching let out the most hideous of cackles as they watched. Twelve, eleven, ten, nine, eight... The numbers flashed by as Link fell through the empty space. Seven, six, five. An idea came to his head. Four, three. He had one chance. Two. The grappling hook snaked upwards, the owner praying it caught anything. One.

The laughter was cut short. Hanging mere inches from the floor was the hero. Sweet dripped from Link's forehead as he looked up into the dark stairwell, trying to see what had saved him. The hook had caught the doorknob of floor number seven. "Lucky number seven." Link smiled as he planted his feet on the ground. He collected the hook and tucked it away.

"Now where was that laughing coming from?" Link looked around the lobby. Even though he couldn't see them, they saw Link. They were the ghosts of every enemy that Link had ever defeated, but he didn't know they had been gathered here for revenge.

Link headed over to the map. There was another way up to the top. Link could use the servant staircase in the kitchen. It only reached the top floor, though, not the roof and the kitchen was on the other side of the hotel.

There was a door at the far end of the lobby. "That wasn't there before." Link commented as he walked over.

There was a plaque above the door. "Hall of Bosses. A trip down memory lane." Link read aloud. He swung open the door and walked in.

A long hallway stretched into nowhere. Lining the walls were pictures of all the boss characters ever faced by any of the Links over their adventures. The very first picture was of a hideous green dragon. As Link passed each picture, the eyes of the creature followed his movements. "This place is really starting to freak me out."

The pictures continued. Even though Link didn't know these battles personally, he had the feeling as if he had been there. Phantom Ganon, a giant fire worm, a masked jungle warrior, a Poe made of smaller Poes, Fluffy, the list continued. It seemed like forever, but finally the hall ended, leading to another room.

Link was glad to get out of the hall. His heart was beating like mad. Goosebumps lined his arms and his hair stood on end. The next room wasn't any better. An assortment of torture and execution devices was spread across the room. Each tool was stained with blood. With every step Link took in the room a horrid shriek of pain sounded.

The noise was grating on Link's will to keep going. Within seconds the hero was crawling on his hands and knees trying to avoid the sounds. The last few ties Link had left to sanity were slowly unraveling. The laughter began once more. Link began to curl up into the fetal position. The ties had been broken. "I can't do this." Link whimpered through the tears that slid along his face.

"Yes, you can!" A voice called out in encouragement. The noises changed into murmurs of confusion.

Link tilted his head to where the voice came from. A bright flying object was approaching him. "Navi?" He whispered.

"Damn right!" Navi replied. Link looked curiously at his fairy. "Aren't you dead?" Link asks.

"Unfortunately, yes, just like everyone else who is here. Everybody in this entire hotel has some connection to you. It's just that these ones didn't like you when they were alive. They're trying their hardest to stop you from succeeding. Are you going to let them?" Navi spoke with an air of inspiration.

"NO!" Link shouted as he jumped back to his feet. The ghosts let out a yelp of fright as thy quickly fled the room.

"That's my boy! Now hurry up and finish this quest so that you can return Hyrule to normal." Navi watched as Link exited the room with a new feeling of confidence. "How did he ever manage without me?" She asks herself before returning to the other spirits.

Link bolts into the next room. "Who's next!?!" He shouts into the empty room. No reply. Link walks smugly into the center and looks around. There is a door in each direction. "Doesn't matter which one I pick, I can always turn back." He exclaims as he enters one door and finds himself in the exact same room.

"Not one of these puzzles!" Link mutters as he heads back into the first room. He locates the door to the torture room and opens it to find another room with four doors. Every door leads to a room with four more doors.

Half an hour later, Link sits dejected in the center of one of the rooms. His sword lies on the ground in front of him. In his mind, Link is tying to remember anything that he's seen in this hotel that could have been a hint. While he's thinking he spins his sword around on the ground. He doesn't notice it, but after every spin the blade points to one door in particular.

Link gets back to his feet. "Maybe if I just try again, it'll work." He tells himself as he picks up the sword. As he walks towards the door, he catches his foot on a chunk of carpet and trips. His sword goes flying out of his and into the door to the right of him.

Link picks himself up off the ground. Seeing the sword in the door, he takes a few seconds to figure out how that managed to happen. That's when it hit him (not the sword mind you.) After pulling the sword out of the door, Link enters that door.

The next room is slightly different. The carpet is a little more intact. There is a chandelier hanging from the center with one candle lit, but five are unlit. Link walks into the center and tosses his sword forward. The weapon hangs in mid-air for a few seconds before choosing a door and sailing into it.

Link repeated this process in each room that he reached. When every candle was lit, the room was bright and colorful. The carpet was in one piece. The walls were lined with golden trim. And in the center of the room was a treasure chest.

Inside the treasure chest was a pair of glasses with purple lenses. With the glasses was a note, written in the same writing as the note that came with the grappling hook. The note said "This item allows you to see things that you normally can't. Spirits, hidden passages, and traps are now put in plain sight. Watch out though. Even though spirits cannot harm you normally, they can if you have these equipped."

"Good old Zelda. Always ready to help me against Ganondorf." Link said with a smile as he put on the glasses. Suddenly the room came alive with activity. Floating around him were hundreds of spirits. Everything from townspeople to bosses was surrounding Link. He quickly pulled off the specs and added them to his collection.

After consulting his sword, Link proceeded to leave the four door rooms. The hotel was back to its regular dreary outlook. Link found himself in a large dining room. At the opposite end was a locked door. Link reached into his pocket and pulled out the key that he had collected earlier. After trying it in the lock, Link was disappointed to discover that it didn't work.

At every chair in the room was a plate on the table. Most of the plates were covered with domes. Link nervously pulled out the Glasses of Truth and placed them over his eyes. Luckily there weren't any ghosts in sight. Link went along the rows of tables and looked through each of the domes. Most were empty, but quite a few had Skulltulas crawling on the inside. It was the last dome that hid the key.

Link undid the lock and proceeded into the next room. The door slammed shut behind him and metal bars slid down after. Link was now in the kitchen and guarding the staircase was an Iron Knuckle. The Iron Knuckle was still dormant. Link knew deep down that he had to defeat this creature to proceed, but he seriously didn't want to. There was a knife on the counter, giving Link something to wake the creature up without getting near.

The knife imbedded itself in the Iron Knuckles armor. Two glowing spheres acme to life inside the beast's helmet. The eyes looked down at the knife. Then they focused on Link as the giant made his way over to do battle.

The Iron Knuckle destroyed every object between it and Link. The creature swung its weapon in the manner of a man possessed. Each swing caused Link to jump back a few feet. Before he knew it, he had been pinned in the corner. The Knuckle raised the axe high in the air, preparing to finish Link with one blow.

Link saw his opportunity to escape. He rushed forward at the knight, jumping into a slide at the last second. As he slid between the beast's legs Link delivered a slash to the ankle of the armor coated warrior.

Quickly on his feet again, Link turned and prepared to deliver a second attack. The full force of the Iron Knuckle's swing caught Link and sent him flying. Luckily, the blade had been turned on its side, not causing any lethal damage. Link landed atop a counter, breaking through it.

Link grunts in pain as he struggles back to his feet. He pulls a chunk of wood out of his leg before charging the advancing enemy. The Iron Knuckle swings his weapon at Link's legs, but Link jumps over the attack. The hero gets in close and lands a dozen solid strikes. The Iron Knuckle stumbles backward; clutching the wounds it's received. It lets out a final gasp before falling to the ground.

The bars slide up, freeing the doorways. Since he still has on the Glasses of Truth, Link takes a look up the stairs. Seeing a clear path, Link removes the glasses and heads up the stairs. The trip is rather uneventful, at least compared to the first staircase. At the fiftieth floor, Link finds the door locked. Link pulls out the key from the reception desk and uses it on the door. The lock clicks and the door swings open.

Link finds himself in a really long hallway lined with torches. This entire floor has been kept in top condition and is suited for a king. "Ganondorf must stay here." Link thought to himself.

Not a single door dots the hall. The sound of an organ playing echoes drearily along the hall. Memories of his fight versus Ganondorf flash back into Link's mind. In fact, the further Link gets along the hall the more the surroundings look like Ganondorf's castle. There is a large sliding door on Link's right.

Link opens the door and looks cautiously inside. "Wow," He whispers to himself, awestruck by the sight. The walls are covered in paintings worth millions of rupees. A fireplace burns brightly, but is partially covered by a large chair that is facing the fire. "Good for you to join me, Link. Take a seat." A female voice calls out from the chair as the door shuts behind the hero.

Link immediately knows the voice. He drops his equipment and runs up to the chair. The woman stands up and faces Link. Her pink dress shimmers in the glow cast by the fire. A smile covers her face below the blond hair. Link and Zelda share a hug before they resettle into the chairs.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be running from Ganondorf?" Link asks.

"Quite simple. Ganondorf would never expect for me to hide in one of his own temples. He'll never look for me here." Link nods at this response, understanding the logic behind it. "I see you found the items that I left for you."

"So far, yes. They've been really helpful."

"Have you met any of your old friends?"

"A few. The Sages of course, the Kokiri and Skullkids, and Malon." Is Link's reply.

"Oh, how is Malon? I haven't had a chance to talk to her in a very long time." Zelda inquires.

"She's amazing. I think I've fallen in love with her." This comment seems to upset Zelda for a few seconds but she quickly collects herself.

"Good for you. The two of you will make a great couple."

"Well... I'd better be on my way. I have to hurry up and catch up to Malon. She went ahead to the Fire Temple, and she'll probably need my help." With this Link gets to his feet and collects his gear.

"You're leaving so soon? We have so much to catch up on. Can't you stay for a little longer? I get so lonely here by myself." Zelda says persuasively.

"I wish I could, but I can't. I'll visit you shortly, OK?" Link says as he exits the room.

Zelda waves goodbye from her chair. "So you're in love with Malon." She says to herself once she's alone.

**There **is a stairway leading upwards just outside of Zelda's room. Link quickly makes his way up the stairs and out the door onto the rooftop. A blast of wind hits him as he stands opposite his opponent.

Dark Link looks up at the new arrival. A smirk creeps across his shadow covered face. "So we meet again." He points his bony hand at Link and boasts, "But, this time, I will be the one who walks away victor."

_A/N: What the hell?!? Is Zelda evil or isn't she? She keeps helping Link, but makes secret plans to destroy him. How will this fight end? Will good triumph once again or will the darkness get revenge? Find out next week: Monday, September 27. Till then, Tint out._


	10. Shadow Temple: Part 2

**The Hero Returns To Hyrule**

**Chapter 10: The Shadow Temple, Part 2**

_A/N: Wow, my first update in nearly a month. Sorry about neglecting this fic. I never intended to take this long with it. Blame that on my computer. I promise to finish this fic very soon. I know that this fic has been decreasing in quality so I will make up for that in this chapter. Thanks for being patient during all of this._

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**The **rooftop is forming to be the battlefield for one of the greatest rematches of all time. The two Links stand opposite, glaring at their own mirror image. One holds a sword imbedded with a shard of the Master Sword in a bony hand. The other has the Triforce of Courage burning deeply within his soul. The two Links glared menacingly at each other. You could cut the tension with a knife.

The good Link was feeling confident. He had defeated Dark Link quite easily many years ago and could do so again. "I will give you one chance to give up before I'm forced to kill you." Good Link declared.

Dark Link laughed at this remark. "That's funny. I have a nice short answer that you can understand. How bout no!" Dark Link charged at the hero.

This action catches Link of guard. He barely manages to bring his own sword up in time to deflect the attack. Dark Link attacked relentlessly. Every time Link parried a blow, Dark Link would come back with another stronger attack. The force of the onslaught caused Good Link to fall to his knees.

Dark Link sensed his moment. He struck out with a quick kick that knocked Good Link's sword out of his hands. Link quickly unhooked his shield and brought it up to defend the next attacks.

The shard of the Master Sword was giving Dark Link's blade the advantage. With one powerful thrust, the sword pierced through the shield. The blade continued its plunge, cutting deep into Link's right arm. Link cried out in pain, dropping his shield. The moment was looking dim for the Hero of Time.

Link was helpless. He was unarmed, defenseless, and overpowered. Dark Link placed his blade along Link's throat. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time." Dark Link gloated. A trickle of blood dripped along Link's neck and disappeared beneath his tunic.

"Go ahead and do it, I dare you. If you strike me down, I will come back, more powerful than ever. I will haunt you until I am able to equal the deed." Link muttered as the blade pressed even closer.

Dark Link was savoring his impending victory. He wanted to make Link suffer for a long time before he finished him. "How does it feel, Hero? Being moments away from death and being completely helpless about it."

"Go to hell." Link replied.

Dark Link chuckled. "Look around you. I'm already there."

The pressure was unbearable. With every breath, the blade dug a little deeper into his skin. "Why won't he finish me off?" Link asked himself. He was frightened. He knew that there was nothing that he could do to save himself. That's when he saw her.

Zelda had climbed onto the rooftop. She had seen the entire battle. When she noticed Link's pleading glance she knew that she had to help. Dark Link hadn't spotted her yet.

Zelda raised her hands into the air in a V. Link watched as a familiar black sphere formed in her hands. It was the same magic ball that had struck Navi down. That could mean only one thing. Zelda was the one who had killed Navi.

Dark Link had finally noticed Link's stare. He slowly turned his head towards Zelda. The second the two met eyes she released the sphere. The sword fell from Dark Link's bony hand and landed before Link.

Link collected the sword and turned to see the black sphere pass through Dark Link. The evil version of Link emitted a muffle cry of pain before having his life string cut. The body fell to the ground with a sickening thud. Zelda walked over to the body of Dark Link and gave it a prod to ensure that he was dead. She then turned to Link, only to see him prepared to attack with Dark Link's sword. "Aren't you going to thank me for helping you?"

"I don't think so bitch. You killed Navi. I can never forgive you for that." Every word from Link's mouth dripped with hatred for the friend that had betrayed him. He could pretty much figure out the entire story now. It had been Zelda from the start. The only reason she was helping him was to give him the perception that she was on his side. Then she would betray him.

"Awwwww... Looks like Link figured it out. Congratulations." She had an evil smile on her face. "Do you want to know something else of interest? I'm sure you do. Look behind you."

Link called Zelda's bluff. As soon as he turned his back, she unleashed another of her black spheres. The ball struck Link squarely in the back, sending him flying. He landed in a crumpled heap a few meters away.

Zelda laughed. "I can't believe you fell for that. Some 'Hero'! I've seen little kids who are smarter than that." She approached Link. He was still alive. Zelda was somewhat surprised that he wasn't dead. That spell had killed everyone else with one blow.

Link was in a horrible condition. There was a huge chunk of skin that was burnt from the spell. It hurt every time he took a breath. His arm was bleeding heavily as he pushed himself back to his feet. "You're going to have to try harder than that if you want to get rid of me." Link said as he charged the princess.

The hero took a mighty swing with the blade; but only passed through thin air where Zelda had once been standing. Link stopped and looked around. He couldn't see her anywhere. Suddenly, Link dived to the side. A black sphere passed harmlessly by. Link got up to his feet, staring angrily at Zelda. He pulled out his bow and fired a few arrows at her.

Zelda merely stood her ground. As the arrows neared she cast a deflective shield before her. The arrows struck the shield and rebounded straight back towards Link. The hero dodged most of the reflected arrows, but one caught him in the stomach. Link grasped the arrow, plucked it from his gut and tossed it aside.

"Why are you doing this, Zelda!" He called out to the blond haired maiden.

"You want to know why?!? I'll tell you why! I was sick and tired of helping you save Hyrule. Every time I help you, you end up with all the credit. Nobody ever appreciates the work I do for this land!" Zelda screeched.

"I appreciate what you do. I would have never been able to succeed on my adventures without your help." Link stated truthfully.

"You really think so?" Zelda asked, momentarily returning to the side of good.

"Of course I do." Link stated as he approached her. He could see the tears in her eyes as he held open his arms. Zelda rushed into Link's arms and wept uncontrollably into Link's chest. Link held her tightly.

He did not notice the dagger in her hand until it was too late. The sharp sting of the knife imbedding itself into his back caused him to gasp. Zelda pulled herself away from the hero, taking the knife with her, as he slipped to the ground.

Link looked up sadly at her as she pushed him onto his back. She stooped over and collected the sword with the shard of the Master Sword. The moon cast an eerie glow across Link's eyes as they locked with Zelda's. She stared silently back at him for a few seconds. Then she plunged the sword.

Link's eyes were no longer fixated upon Zelda. They had closed forever. Zelda silently released the handle of the blade and stepped away from Link. A single tear rolled along her cheek, falling onto the peaceful face of the dead hero. She turned away from the sight and headed back towards the stairs. "Now for that redheaded whore, Malon."

She stopped right before reaching the stairs. She had forgotten about the Triforce of Courage. She returned to the body and grabed the hero's hand. The mark of the Triforce was there, but none of the triangles were glowing. The Triforce of Courage had left Link.

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_A/N: Don't hate me too much. I will take the flames with dignity. In a few weeks I will continue with the adventure of Malon. Till then, Tint out._


	11. And Thus Begins Malon's Quest

**The Hero Returns To Hyrule**

**Chapter 11: Thus Begins Malon's Quest**

_A/N: Let's see how many people are going to read this after the last chapter. I know that my decisions was not very popular, but I cannot and will not go back to change it. In the end, the decision to kill off Link will make sense, but will not take back the hatred that I have received. At this point, I will continue the adventure from the point where I last mentioned Malon. She has followed Link to Kakiriko Village. Please continue to read this fic even if you hate me for killing Link._

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**The **night was nearly over. A glimpse of sunlight was edging over the edge of the horizon. Off in the distance an arrow sailed through the sky and into the castle of Ganondorf. As if in reply, the sky immediately turns pitch black. An unforgiving mist has covered the sky of Hyrule. You can barely see further than an arm's reach away.

A red haired maiden rides her silver horse towards the base of Death Mountain. She heads in the direction that she last saw her love head off in. She was determined to prove to him and to herself that she could take care of herself. Malon silently rode forward. She had been lucky. Not a single enemy had challenged her, yet.

Malon had arrived at the staircase that led to Kakiriko Village. She dismounted her horse and was about to send her back to Lon Lon Ranch, when a clamor sounded from above. A horrible shriek filled the air and something was headed towards Malon. She pulled out her dagger, awaiting whatever it was that approached her.

She let out a sigh of relief when she spotted Epona. Epona quickly made her way down the stairs before huddling against Malon. The maiden whispered something silently into Epona's ear. Epona nodded before leading the other horse towards the Ranch.

With knife ready, Malon rushed up the stairs. At the top she looked around in horror at her surroundings. She had never dared to go near Kakiriko Village after it had been evacuated. The stories that the villagers had told her could not have prepared her for what she saw.

Malon was tempted to head back home, but something caught her eye. Something was moving behind one of the crumbling buildings. Very cautiously she approached the building. Malon glanced around the corner and spotted a Re-Dead hunched over someone. She immediately recognized the green tunic of the person being attacked by the zombie creature.

Malon let her knife fly towards the Re-Dead. The tiny blade buried itself into the back of the creature. The zombie arched its back in agony. It then turned towards Malon and began to shuffle towards her. Malon retreated from the approaching threat. She had expected to kill the Re-Dead with her dagger. Other than that knife, she was unarmed. Her only choice was to run.

As she ran away, Malon could hear the horrendous groans of the Re-Dead as it followed her. Malon climbed up a ledge and quickly ducked behind a wall. She had to catch her breath. The groans and shuffling had stopped behind her. Malon nervously looked over the wall and across the ruins. She breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't see anything.

She got up to her feet and silently crept along the base of the wall. Malon waited for a few seconds before making a mad dash to the building where Link was at. She was nearly there when she spotted the Re-Dead. But this time, it had friends with it.

Malon looked around for a place to hide, but found her escape blocked by yet another Re-Dead. They were everywhere and had her surrounded. Malon noticed Link's blade and removed it from its sheath. The blade's weight forced Malon to drop the sword. It was too heavy for her. The only thing she could do was crouch and pray beside the unconscious form of Link.

A shadow passed overhead. The sound of metal slicing through rotten flesh caused Malon to open her eyes. Before her, a robed figure was decimating the wave of zombies. Malon couldn't take her eyes of the amazing swordsman. Effortlessly, he destroyed every last one of the creatures.

The robed man noticed Malon as he searched for more enemies. "You shouldn't be here, Miss!" He called out as he stabbed at a twitching corpse.

"I was just following Link." Malon replied as she watched the man wander about the bodies. He stopped at the mention of Link's name. "So it is true. Link is back in Hyrule." He mentioned as he looked over at the unconscious hero.

Malon placed her hand against Link's chest. "He's still alive." She mentioned as Link's heart beat below her palm.

The robed man was now kneeling beside her checking over Link. He past a skeletal hand over the face of the hero. Malon noticed the hand and immediately backed away. "What are you?" Malon asked, her eyes fixated on the bony fingers.

"Do not be afraid, Miss. I am not your enemy." The robed man picked Link's body up off the ground and slung it over his shoulder. "You can continue on your quest up Death Mountain to find the Fire Temple. I will keep Link here to recuperate. When he wakes up, I will tell him where you went."

Malon was taken by surprise. "How do you know of the Temples? How do you know that I was looking for the Fire Temple?"

The man opened the door to the only building that was fully intact. The man entered inside and placed Link on a small cot in the corner. Malon followed him to the door, clearly interested in this stranger. As the man turned back to face Malon, she caught a glimpse of his face beneath his hood. "You're Dark Link!" Malon cried out in surprise. She had heard the story about Dark Link's and Link's fight in the original Water Temple the last time Ganondorf was in charge.

"I'm on your side this time around. The sages entrusted me in guarding the entrance to the Shadow Temple. Take a look at what Ganondorf did to me in the Sacred Realm." Dark Link pulled up the sleeve of his robe to reveal his arm. Everything below the shoulder was bone.

Malon recoiled in horror. "How did you get out of the Sacred Realm?"

"After Ganondorf broke out, Zelda decided to let me out. We made a deal that if I helped the sages defend Hyrule from Ganondorf, I would one day get a chance to fight him." Dark Link explained as he walked over to a wall lined with swords.

Dark Link carefully examined the various blades. "You're going to need a better sword than that dagger you had." He took a katana off the wall and handed it to Malon. "Think you can use this?"

Malon removed the blade from the sheath and swung the sword in a couple of practice swings. "Wow. It's perfect. Balance and weight are just right for me. Thanks." She returned the blade to its sheath and tied the sword to the sash around her waist.

"No problem." Dark Link said. "Now you can fend for yourself. That sword was crafted by the Goron who is protecting the Fire Temple's entrance further up this mountain. Feel free to pay him a visit. If Link wakes up while you are gone, I'll send him to the Shadow Temple."

"Thanks for your help. Make sure to tell him where I went." Malon bid farewell to Dark Link and closed the door to the building. She found her dagger nearby and retrieved it. She then headed towards the trail that led up Death Mountain.

**Death **Mountain hadn't changed much since Ganondorf returned. There were still the Tektites that tormented travelers. The dark mist that covered the sky made it hard to see. You could hear the boulders rolling down the path, threatening to crush anything that lingered in their way.

Malon's new sword worked wonders. She had made her first kill on a Tektite that tried to jump on her from the path above. Before she knew what she had done, the Tektite lay in two halves at her feet. She didn't even feel that bad about ending something's life.

Not long after, Malon found herself at the entrance to Goron City. A huge gate had been erected to stop people from entering into the city. Now, the gate had a huge hole burnt through the center of it. Malon crawled through the hole and entered the city of the Gorons.

Goron City was a mess. Fires burned everywhere, igniting bomb flowers, causing explosions to rock the city. The walls had crumbled, destroying the multiple floors that had been the main feature of the cave. Somehow, the little platform suspended above the city was still intact.

Malon climbed down through the rubble to a nearby door. It was the only one that wasn't blocked by boulders. From inside, the sound of a hammer banging against metal echoed eerily through the empty city. Malon made her way through the twisting path and headed towards the sound.

"Come in Malon!" A voice called from the room. The hammering had quit.

Malon found herself standing before a huge Goron. Beside the creature was a tiny furnace, in comparison to the Goron. A table lined with swords rested against a wall. "How are you doing?" Malon asked Biggoron.

"Not bad. My swords have been keeping me company. I see that Dark Link gave you the finest katana that I've ever made. But, I have been thinking. Maybe if I didn't eat all of those rocks when I was younger, I might have been able to escape with the others. Instead, I got stuck in this room and could never move since. I got too fat." Biggoron blacksmith always had a sense of humor.

Malon chuckled. "I was wondering if you could open the portal to the Fire Temple for me."

Biggoron was suddenly serious. "You know I can't do that Malon. I can only open the portal for Link."

"Well, Link is busy at the moment. You see; he's going to the Shadow Temple. We decided that Hyrule could be saved sooner if two of us traveled through the temples. So, I am Link's partner." Malon lied.

Biggoron pondered over the situation for a few seconds before answering. "In that case, alright, I'll let you in. You know where the portal is, right? Just make sure that Link stops by. I have a better sword for him."

"Thanks a lot!" Malon called as she waved farewell. She headed back to the main chamber of Goron City. Up on the suspended platform was a glowing blue portal. Malon climbed back up to the top level and headed to one of the ropes.

She hated heights and this was one of the worst. The rope looked like it was ready to snap as soon as someone took a step onto it. Malon swallowed nervously as she placed a foot on the swaying rope. It held. Carefully, she took another step forward. The rope still held.

Malon was nearly at the platform. The next thing she knew, she heard the rope snap behind her. She was falling, arms flailing all over. She felt her hand brush up against something and tried to grab whatever it was. She had stopped falling.

There she was, swinging from the rope, barely off of the ground. Determined, Malon methodically climbed the rope. Upon reaching the top, she collapsed into the blue portal. The Fire Temple awaited.

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A/N: _That pushes this fic over 20,000 words. Thanks to anybody who's still reading this fic. I will update this fic every Friday starting this week. That means Chapter 12 will be here Friday, October 29. Till then, Tint out._


	12. Fire Temple: Part 1

**The Hero Returns To Hyrule**

**Chapter 12: The Fire Temple: Part 1**

_A/N: Wow, I still have people reading this fic! I will try to make this fic continue a high quality for every chapter. The Fire Temple awaits Malon and we will find out if she is up to the challenge._

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**Malon **found herself lying on a small platform. She looked over the edge and found that the path sloped downwards at a very steep angle. "I have nowhere else to go." She said as she dropped off the platform and slid down the path.

After what seemed like an eternity, Malon found herself at the base of the path. She was in a huge room. The wall was lined with torches every five feet both vertically and horizontally. At the very top of the room, dead center was a hole that served as the only other way out of the room. The only problem was the fact that the room was nearly forty feet tall.

The room was lined with numerous pillars that each stood nearly ten feet in height. Surrounded by a circle of fire in the center of the room was a treasure chest. No switches were in sight.

Malon cautiously approached a nearby pillar. As soon as she stepped close to it a wall of flame popped out of the ground. "Not that way." Malon noted as she headed towards another pillar. This one also had a wall of fire sprout out of the ground when Malon approached. This same result occurred at every pillar Malon could reach.

"If I can't walk across the floor, I'll have to find a alternate way across this room." Malon headed over to a nearby torch and placed her hand on it. She tried to pull herself up on top of it, but the torch began to move.

The next thing she knew, the flame of every torch in the room became extinguished. In their place, the fire of the pillars sprang to life. But, there were some pillars that did not light. These pillars made a perfect path to the chest, which no longer was surrounded in fire.

Malon quickly made her way to the chest and opened it. Inside was a coiled spring attached to a hook. With it was a sheet of parchment. "This here is the Ultimate Longshot. Aim at the targets and fire. The hook will attach to the target and pull you towards it. Love, Zelda." Malon read aloud.

"So that must be how Link gets all of his items. Princess Zelda has been providing him with them." Malon concluded.

She looked through the hole in the ceiling. Indeed, there was a target on the roof of the room on the other end. Malon aimed the Longshot at the target and pulled the trigger. The spring uncoiled itself as the hook was launched. Malon felt a quick tug as the hook lodged itself into the target and began pulling Malon up.

The Longshot released itself as soon as Malon was safely above the hole. The girl rolled to the side as the target collapsed, plugging up the hole. Malon found herself at the end of a passage. Every couple seconds a blast of fire exploded from the holes in the walls. The timing of the blasts was offset just right to give someone time to run through the gauntlet.

Malon braced herself against the wall as she watched the fire bursts. "Fire one, fire two, fire three, fire one..." She counted to herself. Malon made a mad dash through the fire streams. She made it through safely, but pushed it a little close as the third fire jet nearly caught her.

The farm girl stopped herself at the corner. The passageway continued into another room. Inside, Malon could see two large Lizardfols protecting a chest. On the other side of the room was a locked door. Malon could only assume that the key to the door was inside of the chest.

Malon silently removed her katana from its sheath. Maybe she could get a sneak attack on one of the two guards before they noticed her. Malon took a step forward and grimaced as an iron gate slammed down behind her. The two lizards immediately spotted her and drew their weapons.

One jumped forward, taking a huge swing at Malon. The girl rolled aside and struck back. The creature collapsed against the feet of its comrade. The remaining lizard cautiously began to circle around Malon. Malon made a motion to one side, causing the Lizardfols to move to the opposite direction.

The two combatants continued to encircle each other. Malon accidentally stumbled over the fallen body of the first Lizardfols. The surviving one was its chance and unleashed a fire blast. Luckily, the body protected Malon from the fire. Malon jumped to her feet, with Longshot in hand. The hook snaked across the room and buried itself into the chest.

As Malon was carried towards the chest, she struck out with her sword. The blade made contact with the lizard's leg, causing it to collapse to the ground. Malon opened the chest, retrieved the key, and returned her attention to the suffering Lizardfols. Malon swiftly plunged the blade into the quivering body and held it there until the body moved no more.

The key fit perfectly into the lock. The door swung open and Malon entered the next room. Atop a platform in the center of the room was a dancing flame. The fireman jumped down from its perch and began spinning around. Flames burst from the dancer and fell across the room.

Malon aimed the Longshot at the fireman and fired. The hook lodged itself into the black head of the dancer and pulled the solid ball from the flames. Malon swung her sword and struck the head.

The head jumped back into the fire atop the platform. This time the dancer was a new color. Malon repeated this process twice more and destroyed the creature. The flames died away, granting Malon access to the platform. The girl quickly climbed onto the platform which began to descend deep into the earth.

The platform deposited Malon on a ledge over a pit of lava. A wire grate covered the large pit of lava. Across the room was a door to another room. "Too easy." Malon exclaimed as she stepped onto the grate.

Suddenly, a wall of fire sprung to life behind Malon. Quite a few goblins dropped from the ceiling onto the grate and charged Malon. The firewall slowly began to creep across the grate, destroying everything in its path. One goblin came running towards Malon but tripped and fell into the fire. A horrible shriek emerged from the creature as it was burned alive. The other goblins began laughing hysterically at the other goblin's horrendous demise.

Malon silently crept by the creatures. She made it safely across the grate and onto the floor by the door. "Guys, you might want to watch out for that fire." Malon called as she left the room. The goblins looked at each other in surprise and then at the fire. Malon could hear the death cries of the goblins as the fire consumed them.

"I don't know why Link finds these temples so difficult." Malon said as she headed towards a large gold and blue treasure chest in the center of the room.

**"Are **you sure that it is a good idea to let Malon collect all of the shards so easily?" Ganondorf asked Zelda.

The two villains were gazing into a large cauldron that was showing them Malon's progress. Zelda nodded her head. "Of course it's a good idea. Since evil cannot touch the Master Sword, we will let Malon collect the shards for us. If she has an easy time doing so, she won't be much of a problem for us to defeat."

"And why do we want the Master Sword?" Ganondorf inquired.

Zelda sighed. "I'm tired of explaining it to you, Ganondorf. If we have the Master Sword that means that a hero doesn't have it. And if the hero doesn't have the Master Sword, we can't be defeated."

"I understand. Brilliant." Ganondorf began chuckling at the idea of Malon doing this pointless quest that would only end up helping him. "Good thing that you told me that Link and Malon were heading through the temples. It gave me time to withdraw my strongest minions and replace them with worn out useless creatures."

"It's all part of the alliance." Zelda replied with a smirk.

**Malon **approached the chest and swung the lid open. Inside was a large key and another sheet of parchment. "Use this key to enter the lair of Volvagia, the fire dragon." Malon read and looked up. Before her was a large locked door.

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_A/N: Next chapter is Malon vs. Volvagia! So we learn that Zelda has gotten Ganondorf to fill his temples with weak creatures. Is it possible that Zelda is still somewhat on the side of good, despite killing Link? Or is it all a scheme for her to get her hands on the Master Sword. Find out next time._


	13. Malon Learns of Link's Death

**The Hero Returns To Hyrule**

**Chapter 13: Malon Learns of Link's Death**

_A/N: A long, long, long time ago I started this fic. It was my first fic and was mighty proud of it. I sort of lost interest in writing it after my computer crashed during the last half of the summer. I've tried continuing it, but have not felt the same about it. That is why I have decided to add in a strange plot twist that will end the story within the next four chapters. I still apologize for the murder of Link in Chapter 10. Enjoy this chapter and the finishing parts of this story._

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**Ganondorf **and Zelda stood transfixed over the magic view portal that was showing them the massively one sided between Malon and the fire dragon, Volvagia. Volvagia had been defeated once before by Link, and was edging for a chance to redeem himself. Unfortunately, he was faring any better against Malon then he had against Link.

Anger was definitely swelling inside of Ganondorf as he watched his creature gasp a final breath before collapsing into a motionless heap. "This wouldn't have happened if you had allowed me to use my new fire demon." Ganondorf said accusingly, a long finger pointed at Zelda.

Zelda only smirked at the threat. Inside the view portal, Malon triumphantly recovered the shard of the Master Sword. She was jumping for joy as she vanished into a blue glowing circle. "Malon will now be learning about the death of Link from the Sages. I guarantee that she will be very angry and will quickly go about collecting the other shards in order to strike us down." Zelda stated as the portal reverted itself to its original form.

"I still don't like it. Are you sure that she is the one the Triforce of Courage was passed on to?" Ganondorf asked as he seated himself into his throne.

"Positive. There is nobody else in all of Hyrule that would qualify. They are all cowards, who wait for your rule to become complete." Zelda said soothingly. Ganondorf pulled himself up to his full height, feeling proud of himself. "_It is so easy to influence men. Just stroke their ego a bit._" Zelda thought to herself as she took her seat to Ganondorf's right.

"So where will Malon head to next?" Ganondorf asked from his seat, staring straight in front of him. He was obviously thinking about which of his creatures that he would pit Malon against.

Zelda thought carefully. Her plan was falling into place perfectly. All that remained was for Malon to finish with the dirty work of slaying Ganondorf's creatures and collect the remaining shards. As soon as Malon collected the final shard, Zelda would attack and steal the shards. Then she would have the Master Sword reformed, using the refined blade to smite Ganondorf. In the end, only she would remain alive, outsmarting everyone else. But she still had to remain suspicious. For all she knew, Ganondorf could have a plan of his own and Malon could become a formidable opponent in her own right.

"She will most likely go to the Shadow Temple and visit the site of Link's death. The entrance should still be open, since Dark Link was killed on the inside by Link." Zelda lied, knowing that Ganondorf had no way of seeing the battle and the events that had occurred.

"It is a shame that they killed each other. I was looking forward to slaying Link personally. Is the shard of the Master Sword still present in Dark Link's blade or did you retrieve it?" Ganondorf asked, suddenly sending Zelda onto the defensive.

"I only witnessed the battle, not interfering in the slightest. The shard should remain in the blade." Zelda lied once again. That was another thing that Ganondorf was unaware of. She had retrieved the shard after she killed Link. In fact, she had imbedded the shard in the crown that adorned her head. It was only the tip of the blade, not a very big piece, easily slipping past Ganondorf's awareness. Or maybe he did know something. Why else would he ask if she had the shard? This charade was very difficult to keep up.

Ganondorf suddenly got to his feet and began pacing. "I am tired of waiting! If you say that Malon is heading to the Shadow Temple then that is where I shall send the remaining protectors of the shards. That way, she can either collect the shards quicker or die trying."

Zelda was getting worried again. This was another uncharacteristic action on the part of Ganondorf. He usually preferred to set vast plans and force his opponent to face many hardships before coming face to face with the Dark Prince himself. Now, he was jumping the gun, eagerly awaiting to seize victory. Maybe, Link's death had given him a clear vision at an unobstructed goal.

"Excellent idea! It will provide an excellent gauge of Malon's power." Zelda said encouragingly. Ganondorf obviously had a plan of his own, but she would have to wait to discover what it was.

**"No**! It can't be true!" Malon screamed, falling to her knees. Tears streamed from her eyes as a reassuring hand was placed on her shoulder. She looked up into the shimmering black eyes of Ruto, who had just told her the news of Link's death.

"We feel the same as you do. Everyone here had a deep connection with Link and we were all devastated when Zelda betrayed Link." Ruto said as she pulled the sobbing girl into a hug.

"She caught him off guard. He never stood a chance." Nabouru explained. She was sitting away from everyone else, coping with the loss in solitude.

Saria appeared to be the most devastated of everyone, other than Malon. "I can't believe that he's gone…" She sobbed. "I need a hug…"

Darunia held the tiny Kokiri in his gigantic arms. "Our Sworn Brother is in a better place now. He will not be forgotten, for he is a true hero."

Impa shook her head. "There is a problem with that. The heroics of the Hero of Time were erased from the memories of the people of Hyrule after he defeated Ganondorf. Nobody knows of his true exploits."

The sages sulked in silence. A great man had died and nobody would know how great he was. Malon wiped away the tears from her eyes, but they were soon replaced by a new batch. She got to her feet and stormed to the center of the Chamber of Sages. "Send me back." She commanded.

Rauru looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you so urgent to head back? There is no point in attacking Zelda and Ganondorf without the Master Sword. You would only be defeated, just like Link."

"Link's body is still down there, lying atop the Shadow Temple. He deserves a hero's funeral, not rotting away in a place of evil. I will take his body back to Lon Lon Ranch and bury it beside Navi. Plus, I can collect the Master Sword shard from the temple." Malon stated determinedly.

"Actually," Nabouru inserted, "Zelda took the shard with her."

"All the more reason for me to hurry up and collect the other shards before she does." Malon said. The sages looked at each other, nodding in approval. Malon found herself encircled by a blue glow. She nodded in a sign of appreciation before a bright flash of white light surrounded her.

When the light cleared, Malon found herself standing at the entrance of the huge hotel building that served as the Shadow Temple. Just to be on the safe side, she drew her sword as she approached the open door. A faint glow was being emitted by something from inside.

"It's about time somebody showed up." A familiar female voice called out as Malon carefully made her way into the building. The voice was filled with sadness.

Malon let out a small cry of shock when she saw the source of the voice. "Aren't you supposed to be dead, Navi?" The tiny blue fairy's spirit was seated on the counter beside a pile of used tissues. "You found out about Link." Malon stated in understanding.

Navi picked herself off the counter and hovered over to Malon, perching herself on the maiden's left shoulder. "I always used to be on Link's shoulder wherever he went. I miss those times. Why can't everything return to the way it was before the Great Deku Tree sent me to join Link? Those were the good days; doing nothing but carelessly floating around the forest, happy as can be."

Malon reached up with her right hand, trying to grab Navi's hand. Instead, her hand passed through the spirit and landed on her own shoulder. Malon was about to apologize and remove her hand, but Navi's spirit stopped her. "Is that the mark of the Triforce on your hand?" She asked.

Malon took a long look at her hand. Indeed, the Triforce was marked on her hand and one of the triangles glowed brilliantly. "The Triforce of Courage." She whispered.

"So Link passed on his piece of the Triforce. Truly means that he is gone." Navi stated solemnly.

"It also means that there is still hope for Hyrule." Malon stated excitedly. "Lead me to Link."

Navi's spirit floated ahead of Malon, leading the way through the gloomy passages and up the staircases. Navi stopped at the door that led to the roof. "Go through this way. He is out there. I just can't look at him again." Navi said.

Malon understood. She had been preparing herself for this moment ever since she learned about his death. "Thanks for everything, Navi." Malon bid farewell to the fairy's spirit as she opened the door.

A strong wind greeted Malon as she stepped onto the rooftop. The roof itself was empty, except for the two bodies. Malon carefully stepped around the body of Dark Link, noticing that the tip of his sword had been broken off. The actual Link was sprawled out face flat against the roof.

Tears had made their way back to Malon's eyes when she saw the body. She replaced her sword and collapsed against the body, her face buried into his charred tunic. She sat there for nearly an hour, crying.

Another blast of wind buffeted the rooftop. The force of the wind ripped Link away from Malon's grasp and tossed him against a chimney stack. A few bricks fell away from the structure, but it stayed intact.

Malon got her first look at Link's face. His eyes were brimming with tears. A look that showed the betrayal that he felt was in his eyes. His mouth was tightly clenched shut. He had died with dignity, even though it was at the hands of someone who he had thought was a friend.

Malon took hold of Link's body and draped it over her shoulders. He was much lighter than she had expected and the extra force that she had used caused her to fall over. She picked herself off the ground and was about to pick up the body again. But that was when she spotted the woman dressed in black. "Zelda." Malon whispered.

"Malon." Zelda said with an evil smile. She could see the look of hatred that Malon was giving her.

"I'm going to kill you!" Malon yelled out as she charged forward, sword drawn. The blade came crashing down, but bounced harmlessly away. Zelda had cast a reflective shield over herself.

"Tsk, tsk." Zelda shook a finger at the fuming ranch girl. "Before you try any more of your useless antics, I have a few friends for you to deal with. Have fun." Zelda vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving Malon coughing. When the smoke cleared, Malon found herself staring into the faces of three of the evilest creatures ever created.

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_A/N: There you go. I actually wrote a decent chapter! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully, you can't wait for me to finish this story. It isn't much longer now._


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